Success stories

Sarah, a single mum of two young children, was doing her best to make ends meet working part-time. But with the rising cost of living and increasing energy bills, each month became a struggle. Despite her careful budgeting, Sarah often went without meals so her children could have enough.

When things became too difficult to manage alone, Sarah reached out to The Big Food Project. She was met with kindness and immediate support—receiving food parcels and practical guidance to help ease the pressure. Knowing she had somewhere to turn made all the difference.

Gradually, with a bit of breathing room, Sarah found stability again. Now working full-time, she also volunteers with The Big Food Project, giving back to the very community that helped her through. Her story reminds us all of the power of community and compassion—proof that, together, we can help families facing their most challenging times.

Maggie, a grandmother raising her two grandchildren, found herself struggling when her pension wasn’t stretching far enough to cover household expenses. With the rising costs of essentials, Maggie faced difficult choices between paying bills and buying food for her family.

When Maggie first reached out to The Big Food Project, she wasn’t sure what to expect. But she soon realised she wasn’t alone. Our team provided her with regular food parcels, along with additional support resources to help her manage through difficult times. Maggie shared that the relief was immediate—not only did she have food security, but she also felt less isolated, knowing there were people who genuinely cared.

Today, Maggie volunteers with The Big Food Project herself, helping others who are in situations she once faced.

After dedicating her entire life to the caring profession, Susanne suffered a heart attack while on the job. Following a seven-week stay in the hospital, she was discharged to find that everything she had—her job, her home, and her savings—was gone. With nowhere to go, she ended up sleeping under a pier for nine months, surviving day to day by begging for food on the street.

One fateful day, with no one around to help, she wandered into a community café. There, she received not just a warm meal but also the assistance she desperately needed. With support from the café, she found a new home and a new job, finally regaining stability. Since that day, she has never looked back. Now, she works full-time and gives back by volunteering once a week at the same community café that helped her rebuild her life

On his first day of school, little Timmy showed up in dirty clothes, with blackened and missing teeth, and a rumbling stomach, having missed both dinner the night before and breakfast that morning. Seeing his need, a local group stepped in, buying him the essentials to get through the week. But they knew this was only a temporary fix.

With 8,000 children living in poverty, many on the brink of destitution, the group recognised the need for a long-term solution. They partnered with local shops, supermarkets, and growers, agreeing to take their surplus food—which would otherwise go to waste and cost these businesses money to dispose of—and redirected it to those in crisis.

Twelve years later, this effort now supplies schools, community cafes, domestic abuse shelters, treatment centres, soup kitchens, and more each week, providing food to those in need. Families throughout the area can now access not only food and meals but also free laundry, shower facilities, and other essential resources, helping to lift entire communities out of food insecurity, all at no cost to them.

Sophie, a young mother of two in her 20s, balances full-time work around the demands of childcare, with little support from friends or family. Employed on a zero-hour contract, her income varies month to month, making it challenging to budget effectively.

During those tougher months, when her earnings fall short, she relies on The Big Food Truck, where she can buy food at a heavily discounted rate to help make ends meet. This invaluable resource allows her to stretch her budget further, ensuring she can provide for her family’s essentials—not only food but also heating, school uniforms, and even the occasional bus fare to visit relatives. The support from The Big Food Truck has become a lifeline, giving her the means to keep her family secure and connected.