Sligo Lend a Hand is a community-focused organisation dedicated to enriching the lives of older people and their families across Sligo. Their mission is to help individuals facing hardship by offering practical assistance and fostering a sense of community. One of the key partnerships that has significantly enhanced their ability to serve their users is with FoodCloud, a social enterprise that helps redistribute surplus food to local charities. This collaboration has not only helped to reduce food waste but has also allowed Sligo Lend a Hand to provide essential services and support to those in their community.

“Partnering with FoodCloud has enabled our group to provide an enhanced service to our users. For example, having bottled water available is a great help for someone with limited mobility, as carrying water significantly increases the weight of their shopping. Sweet treats have become a luxury for many. A simple box of sweets can be a meaningful gesture to mark a birthday, sometimes the only gift a person receives on the day. Similarly, for those struggling to afford basic items, a bag of groceries can help ease pressure on already tight budgets.

But the impact doesn’t stop there. FoodCloud donations also support the running of Sligo Lend a Hand itself, helping to cover the cost of refreshments for group meetings and events. Because we don’t need to fundraise for these, it saves us valuable time and resources. We also use surplus items to create hampers for raffles and share donations with other local voluntary organisations.

For Sligo Lend a Hand, partnering with FoodCloud is a win-win: valuable time invested in food redistribution not only benefits the community but also prevents good food from ending up in landfill. Finally, a big thank you to the staff at Lidl Sligo, without their dedication, we wouldn’t have these generous donations to distribute.”

‍

‍