A social enterprise helping to tackle the problem of food poverty is aiming to ‘supercharge’ its efforts having provided 100,000 meals since its launch three years ago.
Manchester-based Foodinate is an innovative scheme that has partnered with restaurants and event venues to bring hot meals to people in need in deprived local communities.
For every Foodinate-designated meal ordered at a participating restaurant, the business will donate a sum of money to a local charity which will enable it to provide a nourishing meal for a person in need.
Now, to celebrate reaching the milestone of providing a massive 100,000 meals, Foodinate is launching a ‘Business Champions Club’ membership package in the hope of fundraising an additional £100,000 to expand resources and ‘supercharge their impact to the next level.’
Manchester-born founder of Foodinate Caroline Stevenson said: “When I first started working on Foodinate, I dreamt about what it would feel like to reach milestones like this.
“Providing 100,000 hot, nourishing meals for some of the hardest to reach individuals, in some of the most deprived communities across the UK.
"I’m so proud of the team and will be forever grateful to our dedicated partners for believing in this idea and making it happen with us.
“Unfortunately, with more than 13 million people in the UK living below the poverty line, our work has only just begun, and we have huge plans to take our impact to new heights.”
Caroline said the new business membership will open its doors to any business that wants to help in the cause.
She said: “Businesses in the community have really taken to Foodinate. It’s such a simple idea with such a powerful social impact, they’ve seen what we’ve been able to achieve so far and they want to be a part of it moving forward. We want them to be part of it, too.
“I’ve lost count of the number of amazing businesses that have approached us wanting to support our mission but couldn’t adopt our usual ‘eat a meal, give a meal’ model.
"The Foodinate Business Champions Club is about opening our doors to any business, in any industry, that wants to make a seriously positive difference in their communities and be a part of something amazing.”
It is already working with businesses including The Alchemist and GG Hospitality.
Co-owner of GG Hospitality and former Manchester United footballer, Gary Neville, signed up events and catering venture, GG Events & Catering, to Foodinate in 2018.
The partnership ensures every person attending a private event at any of their venues, including Hotel Football and Manchester Cathedral results in a meal for a person in need in the local community through Foodinate.
Neville said: “When we heard about the Foodinate scheme, we knew it was something we wanted our events and catering company to be involved with.
"Homelessness is a serious problem, so for our clients booking events through us to know they are making a positive difference in the city at the same time as holding their event, it’s a very special thing.”
Caroline also plans to take Foodinate to large-scale venues and events, including stadiums, music festivals and large sporting events.
To do this, the scheme has appointed Dan Schofield, who has previously held non-executive director roles at Manchester City, Manchester United Football Clubs, as well as the London 2012 Olympics and Tour de France.
Schofield, who is currently MD of Pioneer Venue Solutions, said: “Foodinate is such a simple but powerful message – for every person attending a “Foodinated” event, a meal is provided for a person in need in the same community that the event takes place.
“That message resonates with both event organisers and event attendees, and now with the launch of the Business Champions Club, Event Suppliers too, so it’s a win-win.
"I’m really excited to get Foodinate in to Stadiums and Events and continue the fantastic work that has been done to date.”
