A food bank in Manchester has teamed up with KFC to provide fried chicken for its community to help with the cost of living crisis.
Ran by community hero Ibukun Ojedokun, The Spirit and Bride Kingdom mission foodbank, based in Atherton, Wigan, is helping those less fortunate each week, with food parcels and a warm place.
FareShare, the UK’s biggest charity fighting hunger and tackling food waste, helps redistribute surpluses of potentially wasted food across 10,000 charities and community groups across the UK.
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The KFC and FareShare relationship is already active in 650 KFC locations, and it will be expanded to all 1,000 KFC locations by the beginning of May 2023.
Fareshare provides an app called Fareshare Go Foodiverse which charities and community groups can use to find the nearest KFC restaurant giving away a surplus of chicken.
KFC is able to give away five menu items to charities/community groups: Fillets, Mini Fillets, Hot Wings, Zinger Chicken, and Original Recipe Chicken.
The fast-food chain donates the chicken frozen, allowing The Spirit and Bride foodbank to record the temperature of the frozen chicken, and take it back to the community center where it is stored in the freezer.
Alongside the KFC chicken, a selection of hot food is available on-site with all meals being cooked by volunteers and served to those in need.
The KFC chicken is also used as part of food parcels to take home with clear instructions for re-heating for those who are unable to travel to the food bank.
Ibukun Ojedokun, Director at The Spirit and the Bride Kingdom Mission Foodbank spoke to the MEN on her journey at the charity: “I set up the food bank during the pandemic as a way to help those in need in our local area.
“The pandemic brought pain and untold hardship to so many people - physically, mentally, economically, and socially – and I wanted to do my bit to help support them as much as I could.
“Before the food bank, I am a teacher by trade and worked in education in UAE before moving to Nigeria to become an educational consultant. I then moved to the UK in 2020 and have been in Manchester ever since.
“When we started out we were serving around 20 locals each week – that figure has now doubled to about 40! We’ve definitely noticed an increase in demand since the start of the cost of living crisis as more and more families in the area felt the pinch."
She continued: "We see people from all walks of life using the mission. From teachers and support staff to those such as community helpers and the elderly.
“We heat up and serve KFC chicken at the community café for people to have a hot meal whilst they collect their food parcels to take home.
"Because of the increase in the cost of electricity bills, we have the food warmed up for them already. People love coming and seeing KFC on offer, especially since it’s the only foodbank in the wider area which offers people a valuable source of fresh protein.
“The main goal is to make sure that individuals, families, and children get the necessary meals that they need to grow and develop.
"Eventually, I’d like to open a kitchen where children and adults in the community will come and learn skills that can help them develop. Overall, these people could then act as role models and leaders in their communities.”
Tom Walkden, a Greater Manchester Regional Manager at KFC UK said: "We always look for ways to support our local communities with the issues that matter most.
"Hearing how local people like lbukun are working tirelessly to support their communities just spurs us on to help them as best as we can.
"As the cost of living continues to rise, it is important that we ensure any surplus food finds its way to those who need it. Particularly as food banks struggle for quality protein more than anything else.”
Lindsay Boswell, Chief Executive at FareShare says: “The current cost of living crisis has put a massive strain on charities and community organizations; facing increased demand as more people struggle to make ends meet.
"Our partnership with KFC comes at a crucial time – this food is needed now more than ever.
"We’re grateful to have partners like KFC, enabling us to get good food to those that need it most through a network of more than 2,000 charities and community groups.”
The Spirit and Bride Kingdom Mission is open on Fridays from 11am - 1pm and is located at 31 Dorset Road, Atherton, M46 9GJ.
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