Feed Our Pack is an initial three-year project with funding of almost £600,000 thanks to initial investment from the Premier League and PFA Community Fund backed up by former Head Coach Nuno Espirito Santo and the Wolves supporters.
The project was launched last January to help combat the effects of food poverty caused by the pandemic with the Foundation focusing on several different ways of supporting people across the city.
This has featured supporting the city’s food banks thanks to key partnerships with Levy UK and national food re-distribution charity His Church, providing holiday activity sessions including free meals in local schools, and receiving hugely generous support from fans not just with some fantastic fundraising but also – as the stadium reopened - food donations on matchdays at the Feed Our Pack stand on the Fan Park.
First of all, as we look back on 12 months of Feed Our Pack, a reminder of the support which has also been provided to the local community via the distribution of thousands of food parcels.
The launch of Feed Our Pack has already seen over 50,000 meals distributed across the local community – with many more to be delivered during 2022.
This support comprised of over 2,000 food parcels distributed during six school holidays, and a further 1,000 meals delivered to a local school via the link with His Church, a charity established 15 years ago with the ethos of finding solutions for problems in order to support those in need.
“It has certainly been a really busy year for Feed Our Pack, particularly in putting all the different processes in place and building working relationships at local level with schools, food banks and food providers,” says Ollie Locker, Food Poverty Project Manager with Wolves Foundation.
“At the same time it was vitally important, especially during the pandemic, that we were able to start helping people as soon as was possible and the delivery of food parcels was one area where we could really hit the ground running.
“We had already delivered some food parcels over Christmas in 2020, prior to Feed Our Pack being launched, but from the half term holiday last February we have regularly delivered food to the families of children identified by our partner schools as needing some additional support.
“We are planning to continue to deliver at least 250 food parcels during every school holiday as part of Feed Our Pack, to help those families who may be at risk from the effects of food poverty caused by the pandemic.”
As with all aspects of Feed Our Pack, the distribution of food parcels has very much been a team effort, epitomising the ‘One Pack’ mentality of Wolves and the Foundation.
As well as the fantastic backing provided by fans with fundraising and food donations, Wolves’ catering partners, leading food and hospitality provider Levy UK, have been incredibly supportive.
The Wolverhampton branch of Midlands Truck and Van Limited, the approved Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle dealership with branches across the West Midlands, also donated free use of several of its vehicles for Foundation staff to use to deliver the food parcels across the city.
There has also been plenty of help provided with organising and sorting the food prior to despatch, with Wolves captain and Foundation ambassador Conor Coady, Academy players and Foundation degree students joining staff in putting the parcels together.
“Feed Our Pack is only able to have the positive impact that we have seen so far because of the teamwork of everyone involved, both within the Foundation and Wolves as a whole, but also fans, charities and agencies across the community,” adds Ollie.
“That is seen particularly with the food parcels with so many different people involved in the preparation and delivery as well as in identifying those who need our support.
“Having that backing from different areas of the local community is essential in ensuring that Feed Our Pack can provide help to people who need it most during these challenging times.”
Can you support Feed Our Pack? Food donations can be made on a matchday from two-and-a-half hours before kick-off? Or you can make any financial donations at the Just Giving page here.
