Words by Smiley Team
Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen has launched its annual Christmas appeal, and has already been inundated with donations.
Christmas is one of the toughest times of the year for lots of people. Whilst many families overindulge during the festive period, others struggle to put even the most basic meal on the table to feed their family.
The charity consists of a group of volunteers providing free food to hungry people in Sunderland, four nights a week. Since they started raising money for the Soup Kitchen in 2019, members of the public have donated more than £50,000 to the cause.
For their Christmas appeal, they wanted to raise £25,000 on GoFundMe to ensure all families have access to warm food during the festive period.
(Learn more about the football designs raising funds for refugee)
The organisations's founder and driving force, Andrea Bell, has built the services it offers around the needs of those facing homelessness and food poverty. She prides herself on how open and accessible the Soup Kitchen is to those who find the need to use it.
“We never ask intrusive questions, simply do you want curry or pasta," she said. "We treat everyone with respect. We are very respected and trusted. We never charge for anything. Food, clothes, furniture and food parcels are all free to people we help.
“Where people would otherwise face malnourishment, Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen is the flickering flame of a beacon in an otherwise dark night.”
As well as food, the kitchen provides sleeping bags, foil blankets, warm clothes, blankets, hats, scarves, and gloves to rough sleepers in the area. They help parents with new Christmas presents that meet the wishes of their kids, and they help homeless families get set up in new accommodation, furnishing flats and houses, buying fresh bedding, and linking people to the support on offer from the council and other services.
(Read more about 10 ways to help homeless people this winter)
Since the Christmas fundraiser was launched two days ago, more than £25,000 has already been raised through nearly 500 donations. They smashed their original target of £25,000 and now hope to raise £40,000 to support families in need this time of year.
One person, who donated to the appeal on GoFundMe, wrote: “I have followed Sunderland FC since I was about 10 years old. My grandfather was born in 1888 and was blinded in the First World War. As a boy in the 1950s I used to read the football reports of the Sunderland matches for my grandad. Having listened to your appeal regarding the Soup Kitchen, I wish to help people who are struggling to get food themselves.”
Another said: “Well done everyone involved - proud to support this for our great city!”
Make a donation to the Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen Christmas Appeal to help them continue their vital work.
