Local parishes participate in new Craigavon Area Food Bank
A Food Bank distribution point has been setup in Craigavon with more meet and greet centres planned very soon for Portadown and Lurgan. The Food Bank, part of the Trussell Trust network, works with statutory bodies and charities to make sure that food gets to people in genuine need but also that those people get appropriate support depending on their circumstances.
This is a church driven initiative and the Parish of Seagoe is one of the participants. Shankill Parish, St John’s and Magheralin are also involved. Seagoe rector, Canon Terence Cadden, said, “Right across the Craigavon Area churches of various denominations are joining us in this exciting Kingdom venture. It is fantastic today that there is one co–ordinated message going out to our statutory bodies and charities that the church is here to help people in a time of crisis. This project is a powerful witness to the love of God and we are happy to give it our support.”
In the middle of a recession that shows little sign of ending, today in the Craigavon Area there are families struggling to put food on the table. In our modern society, this may seem hard to believe, but there are a variety of reasons why this happens.
For many people, a sudden crisis such as redundancy, benefit delay or even an unexpected bill can mean going hungry. Every day parents skip meals to feed their children and people are forced to choose between paying bills and eating.
Craigavon Area Foodbank will provide emergency food and support to local people at these times of crisis. Churches will play their part by encouraging parishioners to donate food items and to take up some of the many practical volunteering initiatives available.
The Trussell Trust operates over 250 food banks spread throughout the UK and this year they expect to feed around ½ a million people.