A new food fund has been launched by Renfrewshire Council to help organisations change the way they provide for struggling families.
The £25,000 pot - which was approved by the leadership board this week - will give small awards to community groups to help them adapt from emergency response to more dignified ways of accessing food.
The fund will be able to assist organisations with costs associated with changing models to improve quality, dignity or sustainability - for example, linking to community gardens to provide fresh fruit and vegetables.
It could also cover costs that support recruiting or retaining volunteers, those associated with premises or venue hire, or provision of support alongside food such as cooking skills.
Grants of up to £5,000 are now available to any community or voluntary group with a constitution and bank account. Applications for more than £5,000 will only be considered in "exceptional circumstances".
Paisley Northwest councillor Kenny MacLaren said he hoped the fund would help groups to care for families who have found finances tight during the coronavirus lockdowns.
He said: "This is an innovative fund which aims to provide support to local community-based groups to help tackle the issue of food poverty.
"Throughout the covid lockdowns we've seen the impact on communities, with people being furloughed or losing their jobs and finding it difficult to put food on their tables.
"However, this fund looks at how to develop wider support in local communities and build in some resilience and recovery.
"It is, however, a disgrace in modern Scotland, a country rich with oil and renewable energy, that we can't access those resources to ensure everyone can afford access to healthy food.
"I'm glad this community food fund was approved at the leadership board and local groups can access this funding to help their communities."
The fund will be open for applications until Friday, October 15, but costs associated with the direct purchase of food or other direct financial support for households will not be eligible.
Other initiatives aimed at tackling deprivation were also given the green light at the board meeting.
A total of £45,000 will go to Engage Renfrewshire to assist with the delivery of an affordable credit project.
The cash will be used to appoint an affordable credit officer who will focus on preventing people from approaching high interest and illegal lenders.
It comes after the Renfrewshire Affordable Credit Alliance was formed by the council and Engage with groups such as housing associations, banks and credit unions working together to champion fair and honest finance.
And almost £50,000 will be equally shared between Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), Linstone Housing Association and Renfrewshire Foodbank to help them support those struggling to pay energy bills.
The CAB will use the cash for an expansion of energy advice over the winter period, while Linstone will provide direct financial support for people across Renfrewshire on credit and prepayment meters.
The funding will help Renfrewshire Foodbank to support more than 300 individuals or families in need by providing vouchers for prepayment meters for those in an emergency situation.
To apply for the community food fund, groups should visit https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/3401/Grants-for-community-and-voluntary-organisations
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