'We are holding the community together' - award-nominated food bank's plea for help
His Feed Newport group has been keeping up with a recent growing demand but delighted by the response he has seen from his colleagues.
The team has been working non-stop to support not only rough sleepers and hostel residents, but a growing number of families, children, and people in temporary housing across Newport. The need is rising, and so is the pressure.
Tariq is both exhausted and hopeful. His team hasn't missed a day, making sure no one is left behind. But the sustainability of this effort remains uncertain: 'Even a single pound donated makes a real impact, and many donors are those with very little themselves, people who truly know what it means to go without.'
Feed Newport has always served all of Newport from the heart of Pill, and as the city undergoes regeneration, Tariq urges investors and policymakers to back those who've long kept the community afloat.
'We're not just feeding people,' he says, 'we're holding the community together.'
Tariq says this spirit is beautifully embodied by Lucy Anderson. Recruited through the GAVO Young Volunteer Grant, Lucy began helping at Feed Newport as a teenager. She grew in confidence, gained skills, and has now landed a job with the NHS catering department. Her journey shows how volunteering isn't just about giving, it's also about growing.
Lucy has been nominated for a GAVO Young Volunteer Award, and Feed Newport itself is up for a Food Sustainability Award after years of pioneering grassroots work.
Read more
'This is what real community looks like,' new pantry opens in heart of city
Meet the Newport volunteers fighting to protect their woodland from vandals
'This close-knit and diverse community has been in the crossfire'
Still, the need for volunteers is critical. This week, Feed Newport struggled to staff food services, prompting Tariq to send a heartfelt call to action. 'If you've ever thought about volunteering, now's the time. It helps others,but it changes you too.'
Nominations for the Newport Volunteer Awards are open until today, July 25.
Lucy's story proves how far kindness can carry you. Maybe your story starts here too.
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Miami Herald
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