Newham is one of London’s most food insecure boroughs, along with Westminster, Camden, Brent and Tower Hamlets.
According to The Trust For London, The poverty rate in Newham Borough is 38%, which is higher than the average rate of 25.93% across all London Boroughs.
Newham Community Project food bank was established during Ramadan in March 2020 as a response to the locals needs. It has now become an essential lifeline for thousands of residents in the London borough of Newham.
What began as a response to the immediate needs of the Muslim community during the COVID-19 lockdown has evolved into a comprehensive support system
What began as a response to the immediate needs of the Muslim community during the COVID-19 lockdown has evolved into a comprehensive support system addressing food insecurity, immigration issues, employability, and housing problems.
Origins and Growth
The project’s founders, Yasmin and Elyas, were moved to action when they noticed long queues outside their local mosque during lockdown. People were waiting for small portions of food to break their Ramadan fast.
“We said: OK we have to do something; we can’t expect people to fast for up to 20 hours and only break their fast with a handful of fruit,” Yasmin recalls.
Initially serving around 30 families, the project quickly expanded:
- Within a week, they were helping 80 families
- Soon after, the number grew to 100 families
- By the end of Ramadan 2020, they were serving 300-500 people daily.
Today, Newham Community Project offers a range of services:
Food Bank: Distributing essential groceries to over 2000 service-users weekly.
Immigration Support: Assisting those facing immigration challenges.
Employability Services: Helping community members with job-related issues.
Housing Assistance: Providing support for those with housing problems.
Newham has a significant Muslim population, with the founders estimating it at “around about 40% or 35% of the Newham population.” This demographic insight highlights the importance of culturally sensitive support services.
Collaborative Efforts with City Harvest
The Newham Community Project service around 80-100 people a day and this would not be possible without the help of organisations such as City Harvest.
“When we first went into lockdown, all the communities and faiths came together in solidarity to help those less fortunate. The Gurdwaras, the mosque, the local businesses, everybody helping London in a time of crisis.”
Partnerships with organisations like City Harvest have been instrumental in providing fresh, nutritious food to the community.
“Without people like City Harvest or Newham Community Project, people wouldn’t get fed,” says co-founder Yasmin.
Food charity, City Harvest has provided free food to Newham Community Project since 2020 and to date has delivered 144.68 tonnes of food to the Newham community.
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As Newham Community Project continues to evolve and meet the changing needs of its diverse community, it stands as a powerful example of grassroots action and interfaith cooperation in times of crisis.
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