At East Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau in west-central Scotland, we are here to help. If you live or work in the East Dunbartonshire area, we can give you personalised advice on money, benefits, health and wellbeing and more. Please contact us here, chat online or call us on 0141 775 3220. If you reside outside of East Dunbartonshire, please contact your own local Citizens Advice Bureau for assistance. Find them here.
I am struggling to feed my family
To many, the olden days were the best. This isn’t necessarily looking at that time through rose-tinted glasses. There was often a kindness in neighbourhoods that isn’t around today. Thanks to the development of things like new-build housing estates and high-rise flats, people can live in homes unaware of who lives a few doors down, or over the fence, or up the stairs. This can lead to many problems as sometimes we can miss people in need fo help. There may be people thinking, “I am struggling to feed my family”, but there is nobody around they know to talk to.
That’s where Free My Meal comes in. Set up in 2020 during lockdown, it aims to put together those who can provide a meal with those who need one.
What is Free My Meal?
Free My Meal is a UK-wide social enterprise. It connects those who are in need of a meal with those who are able and willing to provide one. It has proven so popular that it is starting to grow throughout the world.
The concept is simple. People connect through private Facebook groups. You select whether you are in need of a meal (a recipient), or whether you can provide one (a cook). This is all done confidentially, and no sharing outwith the group is allowed.
Free My Meal was started in 2020 by Hayley Steere. She wanted to make sure that adults and children wouldn’t go hungry during lockdown. It was a callback to times of past when neighbours would always look out for one another.
When lockdown finished, the enterprise continued and has gone on to receive plaudits from the likes of Nigella Lawson and Kathy Burke. It has been seen on BBC, ITV and Channel 5 news broadcasts.
How do I get involved?
Taking part in Free My Meal is simple. Click here to visit their website where you can find out more. You can also join the national Facebook group here. For those thinking “I am struggling to feed my family”, this is a great resource that can help wherever you live. #endfoodpoverty #freemymeal
East Dunbartonshire CAB is here to help
If you need any specific, face-to-face advice, your local Citizens Advice Bureau can help. Residents of East Dunbartonshire can contact us here, chat online or call us on 0141 775 3220. If you live outside of East Dunbartonshire, you can find your local CAB here.
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