Home from Home Emergency Coronavirus support for
Want to join me in making a difference? Medway African and Caribbean Association in partnership with West Coast Kent CIC, are launching a fundraising bid to provide culturally based support to members of the Black community who are isolated and vulnerable during the Coronavirus pandemic.
MACA has until the lockdown been running a weekly drop in for members from the Black community which has also been open to people from a wide range of backgrounds for over 20 years.
Due to the restrictions it had to close the drop in to ensure that its members are safe. Since lockdown we have members who have felt very isolated and not able to engage with their friends, family, as well as access activities they would undertake at the drop in.
Access to culturally based meals and food products has also proved difficult, with many of the specialist shops being quite small in size, thus making social distancing difficult, compounded with not being able to go at times when it is less busy.
The reason for this project being specifically targeted at Black African and Caribbean elders is because recent figures have shown that Black people are disproportionality suffering and dying from Coronavirus, despite making up a smaller % of the UK population, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52338101
With hypertension, diabetes, Sickle Cell, Lupus and other conditions known to be a bigger risk factor amongst Black communities it is important that as a community they have access to a healthy and well-balanced diet that meets their cultural needs. The food hampers received from the Government do not always cater for people with culturally specific dietary needs or food allergies, and as such there is a risk that they may eat food that is unhealthy or not eat at all.
In addition, we are looking for volunteers to help in making telephone calls to help reduce the isolation, as well as donations for books, games or activities that can be delivered to those who are in need to help with providing much needed stimulation.
The Home from Home community support programme seeks to provide the following:
Access to African/Caribbean meals, which can be delivered hot or delivered cold so that it can be heated up at home, or frozen
A telephone befriending service: recruit a team of volunteers who can make calls once a week to Black elders across Kent and Medway, and signposting where required
Provide culturally based food/household hampers: E.g. tins of Ackee, Callaloo, packets of Saltfish, seasoning, mackerel, plantain, Black hair products. These are just an example of what the hamper could include.
Thank you for your support
Visit us at www.macacharity.org.uk
MACA has until the lockdown been running a weekly drop in for members from the Black community which has also been open to people from a wide range of backgrounds for over 20 years.
Due to the restrictions it had to close the drop in to ensure that its members are safe. Since lockdown we have members who have felt very isolated and not able to engage with their friends, family, as well as access activities they would undertake at the drop in.
Access to culturally based meals and food products has also proved difficult, with many of the specialist shops being quite small in size, thus making social distancing difficult, compounded with not being able to go at times when it is less busy.
The reason for this project being specifically targeted at Black African and Caribbean elders is because recent figures have shown that Black people are disproportionality suffering and dying from Coronavirus, despite making up a smaller % of the UK population, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52338101
With hypertension, diabetes, Sickle Cell, Lupus and other conditions known to be a bigger risk factor amongst Black communities it is important that as a community they have access to a healthy and well-balanced diet that meets their cultural needs. The food hampers received from the Government do not always cater for people with culturally specific dietary needs or food allergies, and as such there is a risk that they may eat food that is unhealthy or not eat at all.
In addition, we are looking for volunteers to help in making telephone calls to help reduce the isolation, as well as donations for books, games or activities that can be delivered to those who are in need to help with providing much needed stimulation.
The Home from Home community support programme seeks to provide the following:
Access to African/Caribbean meals, which can be delivered hot or delivered cold so that it can be heated up at home, or frozen
A telephone befriending service: recruit a team of volunteers who can make calls once a week to Black elders across Kent and Medway, and signposting where required
Provide culturally based food/household hampers: E.g. tins of Ackee, Callaloo, packets of Saltfish, seasoning, mackerel, plantain, Black hair products. These are just an example of what the hamper could include.
Thank you for your support
Visit us at www.macacharity.org.uk
Organizer
Carol Stewart
Organizer
England
Medway African Caribbean Association
Registered nonprofit
Donations eligible for Gift Aid.
