COVID-19: updates on the Stripey Stork service

Our service is needed more than ever, and our supported families will continue to feel the effects of COVID-19 long after lockdown. Thanks to our amazing team, referral partners, community of supporters and funders, we’ve been able to continue our service and are so proud of what we’ve achieved:

• We’ve been able to help many more additional families (see above for the latest figure) with essential supplies such as nappies, toiletries and stationery, collected in bulk and distributed via our referral partners.
• We’ve been continuing to meet individual family requests for help at the high level we were experiencing before lockdown, despite running a streamlined service.
• Numerous funding applications for eligible COVID-19 grants have been made with a high success rate. This, as well as the funds from our COVID-19 Appeal and generous donations from our partners, is ensuring we can continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable families in our local community.
• During the period we were closed for physical donations, our team/volunteers worked hard to source items which were running low on our shelves. Bulk discounts and best prices were negotiated wherever possible to make funds go even further. We have now built up a good supply network if we need to source essential items through other means again.
• We’ve been working alongside local councils and other voluntary organisations, as part of their response to the pandemic. We’re finding that the relationships we’ve built over the years are proving to be most beneficial, as everyone works together for the greater good.