This October, Key to Life Foodbank launches its inaugural and spooktacular Halloween appeal ‘Donate If You Dare’ to help scare hunger away in South Tyneside.
Key to Life Foodbank, a partnership between youth homeless charity Key and Churches Together South Tyneside, has launched this latest appeal to combat stocks running frighteningly low as it approaches its busiest time of the year when those it supports face choosing between heating or eating.
Throughout the month, in the run up to fright night, the charity is appealing to kind-hearted residents throughout South Tyneside to consider supporting a neighbour in need by donating food or financially; by organising a food collection, as a church, school, street or local business for example; or by coming up with a spooky fundraising idea of their own.
To raise awareness of the campaign, and keep social media audiences captivated, throughout October Key to Life will be sharing some of the shocking poverty statistics that scare it senseless, along with some fangtastically funny jokes, real Halloween howlers, to serve as a potent reminder that food insecurity is no laughing matter.
Key to Life is requesting that all Halloween donations are received by the end of the first week in November but would like to emphasize to supporters that they can donate to the appeal throughout October.
Donations of food and toiletries can be dropped off to Key to Life, located inside Boldon Lane Library (NE34 0LZ) during opening hours, 10am-4pm Monday to Friday. Most urgently required items include tea and coffee; cereal; tinned fruit and vegetables; tinned meat and fish; curry/pasta sauces; shower gel and toilet roll.
Whatever people can spare, from a tin or two to a full carrier bag, will be very grateful received and make an enormous difference to the foodbank’s beneficiaries.
If required, Key to Life can offer a convenient collection time to any group(s) able to host a food drive.
There are several ways to donate financially:
- Online: keycommunity.org.uk/donate
- By text: Text SCARE to 70085 to donate £5. Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message.
- By cheque: Please make payable to ‘Key Community’ and post to: Key Community, 116 Baring Street, South Shields, NE33 2BA.
- By bank transfer: Please transfer to ‘Key Community’ at Unity Trust Bank, Sort code: 60-83-01, Account no: 20071815.
You can make your financial gift worth an extra 25% by Gift Aiding your donation. Simply complete and return a Gift Aid form downloadable from Key’s website here.
Jo Benham Brown, Business Development and Communities Manager at Key, said: “Stocks at our Key to Life Foodbank are desperately low once again as demand continues to outstrip donations and more people than ever struggle to afford the essentials. Please ‘Donate If You Dare’ this October and help us to meet this devastating rise in need and continue to support those experiencing hardship.”
“We will be sharing some of the most recent poverty statistics to encourage donations which we are sure our supporters will find as shocking as we do. We’d also love as many people as possible to join in the Halloween spirit and help us scare hunger away this month by hosting a food collection for us, or by coming up with their own creepy fundraiser such as a reverse trick or treat, Halloween bake-sale, spooky party and costume competition or monster quiz.”
For more information about Key to Life’s Halloween Appeal: keycommunity.org.uk/halloween-appeal