BUSINESSES in Scotland are being urged to donate food to help people struggling with the impact of coronavirus.
Wheatley Group’s Eat Well service, which provides emergency food parcels to vulnerable tenants in Glasgow, has been extended to support customers who are self-isolating and have a limited support network.
As restaurants, cafes and other food outlets are having to close during the crisis, Wheatley is asking businesses with bulk quantities of foods which would otherwise go to waste to help support some of the country’s most vulnerable people.
The service – available to tenants of GHA, Cube and Loretto Housing in Glasgow – delivers around 500 emergency parcels every week.
GHA tenant, and army veteran, Joe Stevenson, 92, from Cardonald, said: “I can’t leave the house so the food parcels are a big help to me. I really appreciate it.
“It shows GHA really cares and that they are really looking out for us. I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Eat Well relies heavily on surplus stock from supermarkets, which have themselves been struggling to fill shelves.
With supermarket surpluses dwindling and increasing demand for the Eat Well service, Wheatley is now appealing to businesses to donate spare food to help.
It is particularly eager to source fresh or tinned goods, cheese, milk, bread and butter.
Wheatley Group’s Pauline Thomson said: “We are doing everything we can to support our most vulnerable customers during this difficult time.
“Our Eat Well service is a lifeline to people who have nowhere else to turn.
“We hope that any business which has spare food – cafes, restaurants, distributors – will think of donating to us to support the people who most need our help.”
Wheatley staff will be able to travel to pick up any items, and health and safety guidelines are in place for all pick-ups as well as deliveries to tenants’ homes.
Any food received can be kept in storage, but is more likely to be delivered on the same day it is received, given the high level of demand.
To help with donations to Eat Well, or for more information, phone 0141 274 8608 or email pauline.thomson@gha.org.uk or harry.mckerlie@gha.org.uk.
Any tenant at GHA, Cube or Loretto Housing who needs help to put food on the table should contact their housing officer by phone or email.
Last week, Wheatley also announced plans to make up to 300 empty homes available to local authorities to use as temporary accommodation for people experiencing homelessness.
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