A FOOD poverty campaigner from Redditch has urged people to support those in need during Foodbank Fortnight.
Isaac Winfield, who started Friends of Isaac’s Food Bank when he was nine-years-old, is urging residents to download a free app called BanktheFood that shows in real time what your local foodbank needs most.
He said the donations received by foodbanks could sometimes be mismatched.
“We might get plenty of pasta but run short of basics like long-life milk or toiletries.
“With BanktheFood, supporters can check the list and make sure every item truly counts.”
He started Friends of Isaac’s Food Bank in November 2020 in a pop-up greenhouse on his driveway to help people struggling over Christmas. Since then, the charity has grown and now has sheds across six locations dedicated to helping combat food insecurity in the borough.
The foodbank also has a team of 10 volunteers who help run the day-to-day activities while Isaac attends school.
The charity, which distributes around 5,000 to 6,000 food parcels each year, has a seventh site planned.
With the help of volunteers, two vans and a warehouse, he’s built a 365-day-a-year service that makes food available to all – no referrals are needed.
Earlier this year, Isaac won the Young Person Award at Platform Housing Group’s Community Heroes Awards.
His mum, Claire Simmons, nominated him for the award.
She said: “Isaac is passionate about helping others and I’m so proud of everything he’s achieved.
“He’s been doing this for so many years now and to see how much he’s grown as a person and as a leader is incredible. His dedication to helping those in need is inspiring.”
People can download the BanktheFood app from the Android Play Store or the Apple Store. They can then find their local foodbank and which items are needed there.
