POVERTY HURTS
Paula Nelson ( right ) from Shildon Alive with Claire Hewitt from EMG Solicitors , which has a fund with County Durham Community Foundation to help local community projects .
IN NUMBERS
- AND HOW THE FOUNDATION IS FIGHTING BACK
• Around 38 per cent of children now live below the poverty line in the North-East – the worst poverty rate in the entire UK . Each year , the foundation helps families living in absolute poverty to buy cookers , beds , washing machines and clothing , to keep their children fed , safe , clean and warm . An example of just one recent hardship grant was £ 2,000 to fund breakfast clubs at two primary schools and one nursery where at least 60 per cent of the children were arriving at school without any food .
• Estimates suggest deaths due to cold homes will be 20 per cent higher than last year . Last year , the foundation spent more than £ 80,000 keeping community buildings warm for older people and projects to make sure the most vulnerable and isolated had somewhere safe and welcoming in the winter .
• Local foodbanks and charities distributing food say requests for food that does not need to be cooked have risen by around 50 per cent on the previous year . The foundation and its supporters provide a lifeline for local food insecurity projects that is increasingly important as donations to food banks have decreased . Through the pandemic , the charity funded 17,500 food parcels for 92,000 people , with a total of £ 265,000 awarded to projects that tackle food poverty . Since the end of lockdown , a further £ 30,000 has been awarded to maintain food services for the most clinically vulnerable .
• In the North-East , around 1.7m households are offline and one in five children who were homeschooled in 2021 did not have access to an appropriate device . During the pandemic , £ 115,000 of foundation funding was used to bridge the digital divide and keep people well and connected . One year on , more than £ 400,000 has been spent to keep children participating , learning and active in community projects and activities .
• An estimated 10 per cent of UK girls have struggled to afford period products . The foundation supported community projects during the pandemic and beyond that offer affordable period products through a pay-as-you-can system , and period poverty projects that support young women .
County Durham Community Foundation funds more than 600 community groups and charities every year , by working with supporters who want to make a difference in their local community .
In the past five years , the foundation has awarded £ 19m in small grants . This year , the charity is on track to hit the £ 55m mark since it was founded in 1995 . As need grows in the region , the foundation is committed to gathering as much support as possible to enrich lives and fight poverty .
Vital - period poverty schemes are foundation-backed .
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