FareShare, charity partner of the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival, has been working throughout the coronavirus outbreak to make sure vulnerable people have access to food. The charity redistributes surplus food to frontline charities that use it to provide meals. Last year, the food it redistributed contributed towards 57.3 million meals, reaching, on average, over 933,000 people every week. 

During lockdown, FareShare managed to get 90% more food out to frontline charities than in the month before the coronavirus crisis began. This was made possible with the help of volunteers, funders, corporate supporters and donations to an emergency coronavirus appeal. Additionally, FareShare stepped up its emergency response, opening eight new warehouse spaces and signing up 500 more charities across the UK, most of which are delivering food parcels to families and individuals at risk of hunger. 

Major supermarkets including Tesco, Asda and Co-op, and companies including Whitbread, Coca-Cola, Compass Group and Food Buy have donated money, food and advertising airtime to the cause. FareShare has also joined forces with the British Red Cross, enabling it to use its volunteers, equipment and resources to help respond to the crisis. In just one week in April, more people signed up to volunteer to sort, pack and deliver food for FareShare than in the whole of last year.

FareShare CEO, Lindsay Bowell, said: “We’ve been humbled and overwhelmed by the support shown by our volunteers, corporate supporters, partners, funders and by the thousands of people who have donated to our emergency appeal.”

Donations to FareShare’s Coronavirus response appeal can be made here.