South Shields food bank appeals for donations as it struggles with empty shelves and says support is in 'desperate' need

Lucie’s Pantry, on Dean Road, is run by homelessness charity Emmaus North East and relies entirely on donations from the local community in order to support disadvantaged families and individuals.

The food bank is now appealing to the community for donations as it battles with empty shelves, meaning it may struggle to help those in need.

Lucies’s Pantry is appealing for any donations of fresh, dried, tinned and frozen food as well as toiletries, household items and baby products.

Stuart Small is a former Emmaus North East companion and has been running Lucie’s Pantry as a volunteer since 2019. He said “Quite often we have days when the shelves are almost empty. Receiving more food donations would mean that we could open the food bank for longer hours and help more families and households in need.

“We are a solidarity charity and we help people in need. Beyond combatting food poverty, we also want to provide community support and signposting to other organisations where our members can receive support. Receiving a larger volume of donations would mean a huge amount to Lucie’s Pantry and its members.

“Donations can be of any size and can come from businesses or individuals. We have facilities to chill and freeze food on the premises”.

For £3, members of Lucie’s Pantry can choose various items up to the value of approximately £15, with these items donated by local households, charities and businesses.

Emmaus North East is a charity that supports people who have experienced homelessness, by providing them with a stable home, personal support and meaningful work for as long as they need it.

The South Shields charity opened its doors at Market Squarein 2017 and has since supported over 88 people who have experienced homelessness.

To make a food bank donation please drop off items at Lucie’s Pantry (430 Dean Road, South Shields) or any of the Emmaus shop addresses listed in this article.

To become a member of Lucie’s Pantry, drop in, call 0191 489 9001 or email [email protected].