Birmingham City Council to grant almost half £1M to help people get through the winter

Birmingham City Council will grant £800 per month to 100 organisations over the next six months to help people get through the winter during the cost-of-living crisis.

The grant will allow organisations to provide free food, hygiene products, baby food, and formula, as well as pet food if possible.

Organisations such as food banks, food pantries, food clubs, community cafés, and social supermarkets can apply to receive the money to help those most in need.

Commenting on the introduction of the grant, Councillor John Cotton, Cabinet Member for Social Justice, Community Safety & Equalities, said: “This is about ensuring we can put food on people’s plates and help food projects survive.

"Food banks and similar projects around the city are doing vital work and I want to thank them for their amazing efforts.

“Although this emergency fund is time-limited it will go a long way to ensuring those most in need will continue to be supported.

"However, as I said when we declared a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’, every person in every part of this city will be affected in some way or another.

"While we have already taken proactive steps to support our communities with the cost of living, including this funding for food provision, I'd reiterate my view that this needs a pandemic-level response from Government.

"We know more support is needed to help people through winter and it has to be done at all levels."

The council has informed those applying that they must meet certain criteria, due to the finite amount of money.

The criteria includes showing that they are a non-profit organisation, having existing work providing food to those who need it, how they plan to distribute the money and must be based in the Birmingham Local Authority area.

Kingfisher Food Bank volunteers after receiving Christmas gift donations (Twitter: Kingfisher Food Bank)

Ronica Fulcher, Volunteer at Kingfisher Food Bank in Birmingham said: "Food banks are an extremely good cause, they help the community in many ways.

"We will apply for the grant to buy the necessities to help people through the winter months.

"It's great that the council has put money aside to enable organisations, like Kingfisher Food Bank, to help the community."

The council has encouraged those who can donate to local food banks during the winter season.

A map of Birmingham food banks can be found here, and information on receiving food bank vouchers can be found here.