The Food Cupboard - “Providing practical help for people in need”

The Come Closer Foundation for the past two years has provided gifts at Christmas for the women of the families supported by the Food Cupbaord. These are wrapped together along with a festive hamper and other gifts for each member of the family by the Food Cupboard. Each package contains sterling silver jewellery and quality toiletries.

Background:
In the early 90s St Mary's Church in Bletchley Milton Keynes realised that there was a need for emergency short-term assistance for families who found themselves in acute distress and for whom the State benefit system could offer no immediate help.  Their response was to organise a “Food Cupboard”.

 They accept gifts of non-perishable food. Perishable goods to supplement each pack are purchased as required using Church and donated funds. Foods that can be donated are: Tea, Dry Pasta, Squash, Evaporated Milk, Tinned Fruit, Tinned Meat, Jelly, Tinned Fish, Tinned Soup, Pasta Sauce, Tinned Savory Mince, Tinned Potatoes, Biscuits, Drinking Chocolate, Tinned Rice Pudding, Long Grain Rice, Instant Whip, Tinned Stewing Steak, Tinned Vegatbles, Baked Beans, Chocolate Spead.

All requests for food parcels are received from Children’s Social Services.  The Food Cupboard cover the area served by Milton Keynes Social Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year – hunger does not keep office hours.