Harvest For Hope 2023

We are seeing an ever rising increase in people facing homelessness and struggling with hardship. The rising cost of food products and energy prices has pushed those that were already struggling into further hardship and debt, and we are seeing a increase in demand for our services from many that have not needed them before. The increase in interest rates has impacted the rental market and rising rents has meant we are seeing a worrying rise in young people finding themselves homeless.

As a charity, as demand has increased there has been a steady decline in donations. Many of our usual donors are also feeling a financial squeeze and are not able to give so generously as they have in the past.

How you can help

Schools, churches and individuals can get involved this autumn by taking part in our #HarvestForHope23 campaign. Children and schools are invited to stick short messages ‘of hope’ onto the outside of donated items. The messages on the food bring smiles to the faces of the people that receive them. Some of the messages that came through last year were so heartfelt and made a huge impact on people struggling.   The messages enable us to take photographs of the food as it moves through our charity so you can see the direct impact Harvest makes to people in the local community. Collect food through Harvest assemblies and church services and follow our hashtag #HarvestForHope23 to watch the journey your food takes as it leaves you, moves through our charity and to the plates of the people we support.

Follow The Food

Getting children and communities involved in Harvest can teach a valuable lesson in sharing and social responsibility. We are always happy to visit schools during Harvest to discuss the work we do at Hope. This gives children an understanding of the devastating impact hardship can have on families and individuals and what we can do to help. We also show how rewarding and beneficial collective action and community support can be to those that are struggling around them.

This year, we are involving our donors in the journey of food beyond Harvest. Volunteers at our warehouse, kitchen staff at HandUp and volunteers at our Community Larders are waiting for donated food and messages to arrive on their shelves. They will be sharing the journey the food makes through the warehouse, to our Larders and and finally to our Larder members and service users.

This will offer an incredible insight into the work we do at Hope and the team of staff and volunteers that work behind the scenes to provide a support network, helping those struggling with hardship in the community.

Watch our 2023 harvest video:

Sign Up:

If you would like to sign up to take part in this year’s Harvest For Hope Click THIS LINK.

We will be in touch to ask if you would like us to visit to give a talk about the work we do at Hope and to sign you up to our Harvest campaign.

Pallets Of Hope

This year we are asking businesses to get involved in our Harvest this year in our ‘Pallets of Hope’ campaign. Harvest is an important time of the year to make sure we have enough stock in our warehouse to provide food during the winter months, working with  Franklins Solicitors, West Northants Food Reach and His Church, this campaign will  deliver mixed pallets of warm clothing, Christmas gifts and food direct to each of our 9 Community Larders and to HandUp, in the last week of November. By raising £500, businesses can contribute to the purchase of one pallet of goods worth £2500. This harvest campaign ensures that Christmas will be less of a struggle for the thousands of families and individuals we support at Hope.

For more information about the Pallets of Hope campaign, please click THIS LINK.

Download our shopping list here