A GRANT of £10,700 from Fife Council will allow the Touch community food pantry to open up in the evening too.
The daytime service, run by volunteers in the community centre on Mercer Place, has already proved a help to struggling families and now it's set to expand to accommodate those who can't attend during working hours.
The City of Dunfermline area committee was told on Tuesday that the evening pantry could support up to 150 individuals and families each week by redistributing store cupboard essentials, chilled and frozen food, fruit and veg and bakery goods.
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Committee convener James Calder said: “Many households in Dunfermline are finding it difficult to balance their growing bills with their income.
"This is affecting working families too.
"The new evening pantry at Touch Community Centre will help households reduce some of these costs, as well as distributing good food that would otherwise be going to landfill.”
As well as the main aim of reducing food waste, the pantry will offer an evening ‘warm space’ for locals to socialise and have a bite to eat with others, and a place to get advice on issues such as welfare support.
The money from the committee will pay for the ongoing food supply, utilising Fare Share and other local food businesses, as well as start up resources and equipment such as bags, containers, stationery, printing materials, aprons, crockery, soup urn, slow cooker and a freezer.
It will also fund the warm space food and drinks.
Councillors were told that, with the ongoing cost of living crisis, households are struggling to cope.
A report to the committee added: “This is not just people on benefits but the working families that don’t receive any support despite an increase in bills.
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"The pantry can help alleviate some of the costs as well as help with food waste that would be going to landfill.”
It's another service for Touch Community Centre which, prior to the pandemic, wasn't being used to its full potential.
When Covid-19 hit it became a base for food provision and, after lockdown, the community pantry room has been upgraded as use of the centre has grown.
It's also used by Cafe Inc to tackle school holiday hunger.
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