Helping people regardless of gender, race or religion

Since opening our doors for the first time in the Summer of 2015, our team at Foodbank Lifeline has always held fast to one single, important motto: to help people who are in a crisis situation by providing food on a short-term basis - irrelevant of their gender, their race or their religion.

In the first 6 months that we were in operation 250 families were helped with emergency food supplies. Three years later, in just the first 6 months of 2018, that number has risen to 2500 families.

Foodbank Lifeline Foundation deals with clients from varied and unique backgrounds, all of whom are facing short term crisis situations that have arisen due to problems outside of their control.

A common issue in Malta, that has been on the increase in recent years, is the often-sudden rise in the price of rent. Individuals, couples and families faced with this problem must wait for their benefits to increase (if they will) - or find alternative, cheaper accommodation, which is not always possible. While Care Professionals are looking for longer term solutions, Foodbank Lifeline will help provide them with food packs, so they can get through this short-term crisis.

Unfortunately, Foodbank Lifeline also deals with the occasional case of human trafficking. People who walk through our doors with absolutely nothing to their name – no food, no home, no bed - nothing. With cases like these, we strive to help until other longer-term solutions can be in put in place.

Apart from the two cases mentioned above, we also deal with refuges moving out of centres where basic food is provided into other centres where no food would be available, leaving them with nothing to feed themselves or their children.

We also help families where perhaps the main bread-winner has been taken ill and therefore unable to work and provide for their children and partners. Sometimes we also assist women and men who are trying to move out of abusive relationships and need some help to get on their feet and fully independent again.

No matter what the reason, so long as we receive a referral from a Care Professional, we are here to help. We are unable to feed people on a long-term basis, but we aim to be there when things are at their worst.

Our Chairperson Rev. Kim Hurst, and her group of wonderful volunteers, keep on fighting the good fight to raise awareness, funds or food donations so that Foodbank Lifeline can continue to help people in need.

‘I believe every person should have access to nutritious food, children should never go to school hungry and no one should go to bed at night not knowing where their next meal will come from. Yet for many this is not the case, because of a crisis they are not able to access the food they need. We are there to bridge that gap’ - Rev. Kim Hurst

Learn about the different ways that you can support us, so we can continue to help people in these situations. If you’re already in the festive season mindset, you can also consider participating in our annual Reverse Advent Calendar campaign.