An award-winning North Manchester charity has been able to expand its support with the help of local property company, HSPG.
Feed My City, based on Beswick Street to the north of the city, is open 365 days of the year and run by more than 120 dedicated volunteers.
The charity cooks and prepares hot meals daily for delivery or collection and creates emergency parcels of dry food for people in need.
When it was established in 2019, the charity operated from various buildings, before settling on a rent-free option owned and maintained by social impact real estate group, HSPG, three years ago.
With average rents for equivalent properties being around £800 a month, Feed My City’s total rent savings equating to nearly £30,000 over the three-year tenure.
Founder of Feed My City, Sukhbir Singh, said: “Without the use of HSPG’s building, we simply wouldn’t exist and help so many people in need, especially in the current cost of living crisis. By providing our organisation with a permanent and well-maintained base of operations, HSPG has helped us ensure that we’re able to fully serve the community.
“Every penny counts in an organisation like this and by taking rent out of the equation, we’ve been able to focus on getting food to the people that need it.”
Operating 365 days a year, Feed My City helps up to 250 people per day, providing roughly two meals per person and provide hot meals to more than 50,000 people a year. They also provide more than 100 ‘dry bags’ a week, helping more than 200 people.
In November last year, Feed My City was recognised with a King’s Award for Voluntary Service, recognising the incredible effort and commitment made the team of volunteers.
David Searle from HSPG, said: “HSPG has one of its main offices in Manchester, and my co-founder and I grew up in the city, meaning that it is hugely important for us to be able to support organisations like Feed My City.
“We are committed to positively impacting residents’ lives, and that doesn’t just mean providing good quality homes, it’s about building up communities and giving organisations like Feed My City the chance to make the biggest difference it can.”
HSPG is now working with Sukhbir and the team at Feed My City to find larger premises to be able to achieve their vision of offering wider support, helping provide people with a place to shower, rest, see a doctor, and access support, along with providing meals and food parcels.
They would also like to expand their reach, providing hot meals to more of the Greater Manchester boroughs.
