COMMERCIAL property company HFD and Virgin Money Foundation’s community funding grant has helped a Glasgow charity feed more families and deliver outdoor activities to children during the Easter holidays.
More than 200 families will benefit from additional support from Possibilities for Each and Every Kid (PEEK). The organisation has seen demand for its services treble during the half-term break and is offering supermarket and fuel vouchers to households as part of its wellbeing programme.
The team behind PEEK’s play, creative arts and youth programmes are also delivering outdoor activities for children to keep fit, happy and healthy.
Established in 2000, PEEK works to improve the lives of children, young people and families experiencing poverty in Glasgow. Its programmes were recently supported by a £30,000 funding grant awarded to the charity through the Glasgow Community Anchors’ Fund – a partnership between the HFD Charitable Foundation and Virgin Money Foundation.
The charity’s ‘PEEK-A-CHEW’ food truck provides free nutritious meals during the outdoor activity days. PEEK will also deliver ingredient boxes alongside healthy recipe cards which aim to inspire families to cook at home. The charity works with 23 schools to give children access to free, hot meals and additional support.
Funding will also go towards chocolate eggs and other easter treats, as well as essentials such as hygiene and personal care products.
Emma Hill, head of operations at PEEK, said, “The school holidays are a particularly tough time for many families – now more so than ever with rising costs of childcare, food and fuel bills. This support from the Glasgow Community Anchors’ Fund means we can provide children with continued support outside of the classroom, and our PEEK-A-CHEW truck is fully stocked with healthy meals for them to enjoy.
“The food and fuel vouchers we offer are an essential lifeline for the families we work with, and I urge anybody struggling to pay their bills or feed their families to get in touch to see what help is available to them.”
Lauren McKenzie, trustee of the HFD Charitable Foundation, added, “The Glasgow Community Anchors’ Fund was set up to support fantastic causes that are making a huge difference to local communities across the city. Charities like the PEEK Project are proving to be invaluable as we continue to navigate the cost-of-living crisis, and it’s great to hear those children have a safe place to play and more families are being fed because of their excellent work.”
Nancy Doyle-Hall, executive director at the Virgin Money Foundation, commented, “Seeing community groups like PEEK benefit from the Community Anchors’ Fund is the reason it was established in the first place. The fund was designed to help local charities and community groups, but its impact is much wider, benefitting the entire community. That’s particularly important in times like now when we’re experiencing an increased cost of living.”
