FOODBANKS in the city are one of three projects to get a slice of more than £1million of lottery funding.
The money will help Coventry’s Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) link up with foodbanks to get to the root cause of problems facing people forced to use them.
Its Food Crisis Resolution scheme has been handed £373,000 from the Big Lottery Fund to train more than 50 volunteers to give an estimated 3,000 people set to be given advice on housing, budgeting and benefit changes at six city foodbank centres.
It is also hoped around 900 people will get back to self-sufficiency through the plan.
CAB chief executive Charley Gibbons said: “Foodbanks are a vital support service for families who are struggling to make ends meet, which is why we are delighted to be able to create a new partner with Coventry Foodbank to deal with the underlying issues facing many of their service users.”
The city’s central foodbank on Sparkbrook Street in Hillfields is one of the biggest in the UK with 14 partner churches acting as distribution centres.
Over the last three years they have helped feed over 40,000 people.
Operations director Gavin Kibble added: “Behind this astonishing statistic, people are struggling to make ends meets.
“Now, in partnership with Coventry CAB, we have a fantastic opportunity to make a tangible long term difference to so many people living in poverty.
“The timing of the award is brilliant as it will also enable both organisations to support people through the transition to universal credit.”
Other projects to see a Lottery grant include a homeless project in south Birmingham and a refugee and migrant centre in Wolverhampton.
Dharmendra Kanani, from the Fund, said it was proud to support the projects.
*THE CITY Council is set to call on the government to take action to reduce dependency on foodbanks.
A debate at Full Council next week – launched by two Labour councillors – will call on ministers to do more to help the 500,000 people who use Trussell Trust foodbanks.
