We’ve been inspired by the response from residents to the coronavirus crisis and know that many of you want to help. We’ve started the 'Creating Resilience within Sunderland Communities Appeal' so that residents and businesses whose circumstances allow, can donate to provide additional community support for those who are most in need. Sunderland Council in partnership with Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group are giving a total of £15,000, but we are asking you to help us match that amount and raise a further £15,000 and help us reach our target of £30,000. All donations will be given directly to registered Sunderland food banks who support residents across the City, to purchase food and essential items as well as provide essential welfare advice and one to one support to enable our residents to improve their resilience and move out of crisis in the longer -term for the benefit of themselves and their families and children.

What we'll deliver:

• Support for Sunderland Food Banks/Crisis Services
• Support with a welfare check for everyone accessing food support
• Support with health and wellbeing and improving personal and family resilience

Why it's a great idea:

The food banks across Sunderland provide an essential service to those most in need of support in our community. This project is so important because it will not only help them at a time when they are seeing huge demand with a reduction in supplies, but it will also enable them to provide wrap around services to bring our most vulnerable residents out of crisis in the longer term.

Steps to get it done:

• Purchase food and supplies for food banks/ crisis services in the city to be offered to people in financial crisis
• Support recipients to engage in a full welfare check to bring residents out of crisis in the longer term
• Sign up to accepting referrals from range of agencies including the Council’s Customer Service Network
• Collect and share data on demand, presenting needs and underlying issues
• Consider joining Fareshare individually or as part of Sunderland Foodbank as way of accessing ongoing supplies