Edinburgh food charity launches urgent appeal as cost-of-living soars

Edinburgh-based Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts – which has provided more than 1.5 million free meals to those in need – is predicting that thousands more will be seeking aid as the cost of living soars.

The charity said that without additional funds and time given by volunteers it would not be able to keep providing for regular clients, never mind feed new ones.

“We’re currently providing 1200 daily meals, and the number of new requests for food is increasing each week,” fundraising manager Emily Gifford told the Sunday National.

“At a time when we’re seeing more attention focussed upon tax cuts for the wealthiest amongst us rather than upon mitigating the impact of the soaring cost of living, demand for our service is unfortunately only going to increase in the coming weeks and months.”

With inflation due to hit 11% by October, the food charity is concerned the situation will become even more unmanageable for those already struggling to feed themselves. As costs rise for the general public, so do the costs incurred by the charity.

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Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts delivers food parcels of lunch, dinner, and snacks to vulnerable Edinburgh residents and relies heavily on donated food and volunteers’ time.

The number of people relying on services such as those provided by Empty Kitchens Full Hearts’ have been steadily growing over the past few years. The Trussell Trust has reported that the use of food banks has increased by 14% since 2020 and with food costs predicted by some to rise by as much as 50%, the demand on these services will continue to climb.

Gifford said more than one in five of those asking for help were families with children.

“We know that rising costs are hitting everyone but that unfortunately means the most vulnerable people are being disproportionately impacted and are often left making impossible choices between food and fuel,” she said.

“Obstacles that our service users are facing are very often exacerbated by a lack of access to food, meaning that challenges such as mental and physical health problems and difficulties in securing employment can seem even more insurmountable when people are also worrying about where their next meal is coming from.

“Factors mentioned by people when asked what prompted them to contact us have ranged from poverty - including a delay in receiving benefit payments - unemployment, illness, social isolation, and homelessness, which will all certainly worsen as inflation continues to rise.”

One person who relies on Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts to feed herself and her family is young single parent Maria – although she earns a wage, by the time she’s paid her rent, train fare to travel to work, and childcare costs, she’s left with virtually nothing.

While she does receive help from tax credits, Maria still can’t make ends meet and, to make matters worse, she’s unable to access her local food bank as it’s only open when she’s at work.

“The service Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts offer truly is a lifesaver for my family and me and without it, I have no idea where or how we’d get our daily meals,” she said.

Janet Jones, business and finance lead at the charity said that without additional funds, and time volunteered by the local community, they would not be able to continue feeding the local people who already relied on their food parcels, let alone be able to commit to providing food for all the people asking for help.

Jones said: “It only costs us £1.50 to feed someone for one day, but with over 6000 meals to be cooked and delivered weekly, our costs quickly add up. We’re hoping to raise £50,000 to ensure we can keep feeding vulnerable people over the summer as we are the only lifeline for many of the people who rely on us for their daily meals.”

To donate to the crowdfunder, click here.