JW3 is working hard to help families and local people in response to the Coronavirus outbreak.
During these extreme times we have joined forces with local partner organisations, hostels, homeless shelters and Camden Council and have started running an emergency service to respond to increased local need.
In the first week of operating, our wonderful volunteers sorted, packed up and distributed over 3,500 meals-worth of emergency food parcels to local vulnerable people, many of whom are living with the challenges of food poverty. And we aim to continue this emergency service for the foreseeable future. Our volunteer team are also cooking and delivering over 100 freshly cooked meals each week to vulnerable individuals and families around Camden and Barnet.
In order to ensure we can respond adequately to the need, we need your help. Now!
How can I help?
There are various ways for you to get involved.
- Donate Food: The more food we get, the more people we can help. The most useful foods are non-perishable items such as tins of vegetables, canned soup, long-life milk, packets of rice, pasta, cereal etc. You can bring items to JW3 (Lymington Road entrance) from 10am to 12noon for deliveries every Wednesday. All drop-offs will be done safely, in line with government advice, and with no physical contact. And if you are able to organise a food delivery from s supermarket directly to JW3, please contact jacob@jw3.org.uk or on 07927646437 to liaise.
- Organise neighbourhood collections of food: To minimise the number of individuals bringing small amounts of food to JW3, it would be even more helpful to have people volunteer to be a collection point for their friends and neighbours. This is working well in neighbourhoods all over the country. It’s a great way to galvanise your neighbourhood by messaging your networks and Whatsapp groups to drop off non-perishable food items (see above) outside your door for you to bring once a week to JW3 once your car boot is full – between 10am-12pm every Wednesday. Or maybe you can get a handful of people to club together to place a food delivery order from a supermarket, directly to JW3. Either way, if you can help with this, please contact Jacob via email at jacob@jw3.org.uk or via mobile on 07927646437.
- Sorting, packing and/or delivering food parcels: On Wednesday afternoons, we will be sorting, packing and delivering food parcels in the local area, including to the headquarters of one of our long-term partner organisations, Doorstep Homeless Families. Families attending Doorstep are homeless for a variety of reasons, including: family circumstances, illness, loss of employment, domestic violence, racial harassment, financial difficulties, and due to refugee status. Doorstep aims to assist these families by providing goods and services to make their lives more comfortable as they await a permanent housing solution. The food parcels they receive make a tangible difference to their lives.
If you are able to help in the processing and sorting of parcels and/or with deliveries to local partner organisations such as Doorstep or others, please please email Jacob by clicking on the button below.
- Cooking or delivering hot meals: Partnering with one of our favourite voluntary initiates Feast!, JW3 volunteers come together twice a week; once to prepare and deliver hot and nutritious food for at risk members of the local Camden community, and once to cook fresh nutritious meals for service users of JAMI, the Jewish mental health charity. Cooking usually takes place between 10am and 1pm. With delivery drivers required at 1pm.
To volunteer to help with either cooking or driving, please email Jacob by clicking on the button below.