The Supper Collective Project
We set up the Supper Collective in March 2020 to help people in need with as a response to the pandemic. With the help of nearly a 100 volunteers, we were able to deliver free nutritious healthy meals to the vulnerable in our community and throughout York. In the first lockdown, the collective of restaurants and volunteers managed to feed around 1300 people a week, many to the doorsteps, lots to the homeless shelter and a daily run to the NHS front line staff at York District Hospital
Here’s how we did it…
* Amazing restaurants and cafes across York offer their help by producing top quality meals to heat up at home in little microwavable take away tubs
* Your generous donations paid for the costs of the ingredients and packaging (in some cases, the cafes and restaurants didn't even want reimbursement. Legends)
* Volunteers drop of the meals to people in need, in all weathers and give a bit of chat. This bit is quite important, as sadly, in many cases it may be the only human contact that they had received in days
That's it. I said it was simple!
What we DIDN'T waste your money on...
* Admin - everyone donates their expertise and time for free
* Logos, merchandise, headed paper and any other crap like that. We just don't need any of that stuff
* Staff, utilities, an office. This project relies on a LOT of good will from really good people
Quick recap of what your generous money paid for...
Over 30,000 meals reached people in need since last March 2020
A brilliant Christmas Day campaign courtesy of the Hog & Apple and many local volunteers
We finished our second NHS campaign in 2021, where we fed the heroes at the ED, ICU and otherYDH depts. everyday for several months each time. Partly to feed and partly to boost morale by giving the staff something nice to look forward to in the break of their long stressful shift
Working with Choose 2 Youth, a fantastic charity working with young adults that have additional needs. These amazing young adults are helping to make many of the meals that go out to the vulnerable - this gives the guys a chance to learn vital cooking skills as well as helping them grow in confidence knowing that they are contributing to feeding nutritious meals to those in need https://www.choose2youth.co.uk/training-cafe
£10k on Morrisons Christmas Gift Cards. This year, we approached a number of organisations and charities that work with vulnerable families and gave them Supermarket Gift Cards to hand out to families in need. We chose the gift card option so that it would give families freedom and dignity to make their own choices at a financially stressful time of year
Some of your favourite restaurants and cafes that have and in many cases, continue to help us regularly with super tasty, nutritious, sexy meals...
Partisan
The Rattle Owl
Skosh
Dough Eyed Pizza
Sloppy's Burgers
Cafe No.3 Heworth
The Chopping Block/Walmgate Ale House
Melk
Dog Nose Taquira
Clucking Oinks
Brew & Brownie
Parlourmade
Source
Spark
Choose 2 Youth
Shori
Ippuku
Dark Horse Espresso
Hog & Apple
Haxby Bakehouse
York Cocoa House
The Whippet Inn
and us, The Pig & Pastry