AJS has donated £1,500 to Chelmsford’s only mobile, affordable food charity, enabling them to give Christmas hampers to 150 local households that they support.
The St Francis Pop Up Food Store provides people living with food insecurity access to basic supplies at a heavily discounted rate. Individuals are treated with dignity as the charity enables them to shop for weekly provisions at a reduced affordable cost. They are also offered free hot drinks, along with an opportunity to connect with others, which helps to reduce the social isolation that is common among those living with poverty.
Unlike this weekly shop, the Christmas hampers funded by AJS will be completely gifted, alleviating some of the additional financial pressure that this costly time of year can bring.
Ruth Pierce, Manager of the Pop-Up Food Store, said:
“Our tagline is to offer ‘a helping hand with your weekly shop’ because we’re passionate about supporting our local community by taking the sting out of the increasing cost of food supplies. Before starting up the charity, we worked with Essex County Council to determine the locations that most needed this service. We discovered that people living in more rural areas spend more money on transport in order to access food, which has a reasonable impact on already tight budgets. It became clear that there was a need for a mobile pop-up store that can pitch up closer to where people live, rather than being restricted to one central location.
“The donation from AJS is giving us the privilege of providing a little extra support to families that we support, who are struggling financially. These wonderful Christmas hampers will be such a welcome gift at a time when households will be feeling the pinch even more, particularly those with children to look after. Thank you.”
The St Francis Pop Up Food Store was initially borne out of a need identified by Chelmsford Food Alliance. It currently regularly services 150 households, many of whom have families to feed, as well as a further 180 customers who occasionally visit when needed. Provisions are made available twice a week through two different Chelmsford-based locations, with £20-£30 worth of groceries given for just £6.
