Cash grants for city projects providing food for Birmingham residents

Cash grants of £800 every month for six months will be available for 100 organisations across the city, such as foodbanks, food clubs, food pantries, social supermarkets and community cafés.

The money will be primarily to buy food but also hygiene products, baby food and formula, as well as pet food where appropriate.

Given the finite amount of money, organisations applying for the emergency food aid fund will need to meet certain criteria, such as being a non-profit, community or charitable organisation which provides food for the community, demonstrating existing work providing food to those who need it, along with showing a need for funds and how the funding will be used.

Cllr John Cotton, Cabinet Member for Social Justice, Community Safety & Equalities, said: “This is about ensuring we can put food on people’s plates and help food projects survive. Food banks and similar projects around the city are doing vital work and I want to thank them for their amazing efforts.

“Although this emergency fund is time-limited it will go a long way to ensuring those most in need will continue to be supported.

“However, as I said when we declared a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’, every person in every part of this city will be affected in some way or another. While we have already taken pro-active steps to support our communities with the cost of living, including this funding for food provision, I’d reiterate my view that this needs a pandemic-level response from Government. We know more support is needed to help people through winter and it has to be done at all levels.”

Full details of the fund, along with an application form, can be found on the council’s dedicated webpage.