Tenderstem^® and Action Against Hunger are teaming up once again to make the festive season better for families facing food poverty.

It’s easy to forget that Christmas isn’t ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ for everyone. While some tuck into hearty festive feasts, others must make do with little or even no food. With food poverty only increasing in the UK, it’s up to charities like Action Against Hunger, with whom Tenderstem® is proud to partner with, to make sure everyone has access to nutritious food during the holidays, and throughout the year. The cost-of-living crisis, together with inadequate social support systems, low-income levels and the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic are pushing more people into food insecurity, with 9.3 million adults experiencing it in January 2023 alone.

The power of community

To tackle this growing issue, community social supermarkets and food banks have sprung up around the country to provide support to those in an emergency, and while most were intended as short-term solutions, they are sadly now a constant feature in low-income communities around the UK. Since 2020, Action Against Hunger has been supporting partners in Lewisham, London and Smethwick, Birmingham to set up and run social supermarkets, a term they use to describe community-run projects that enable households at risk of food poverty to access affordable, nutritious food every week for a membership fee of £3.50 - £5 per week. The aim is simple: to improve the intake of healthy diets in the most vulnerable households in the UK.

40 years of Action Against Hunger’s life-saving intervention

Action Against Hunger has more than 40 years of experience in saving lives and supporting families to beat hunger in 50 countries, and we’re delighted to be supporting them in bringing about a little festive cheer for those who deserve it the most! Last year, we donated much-needed funds (and Tenderstem® broccoli, of course) to support the UK programme, with donations going directly to all Lewisham and Smethwick social supermarkets, helping to ensure shelves were stocked with essential foods. In addition, we were able to help part-fund cooked meals and food hampers for children during the school holidays, fully fund a cooking programme, as well as purchase slow cookers for those that attended.

Spreading festive cheer

Action Against Hunger’s work is vital, and the need for it seems all the more important during the festive season when no one should worry about how they’ll feed their families. With another donation made for 2023, we’re delighted to be able to help Action Against Hunger and their community partners in their important, life-saving work again!