Meath Food Bank "praying for miracle" to keep doors open

Meath Food Bank could be forced to close its doors in the coming months if funding is not sourced says its heartbroken founder.

Ashling Lowe has made a heartfelt plea for help as the cost of living crisis threatens the future of the vital resource.

The kind hearted mum of one who has been at the helm of the food bank since 2014 says she is now "praying for a miracle" to keep the doors open in order to continue to help local families.

"We have enough to keep going for the next four months, " said Ashling. Rent, food, overheads after that there are no funds left, donations are non existent," she added.

"We just have to pop our thinking caps on but the,country is on its knees no one can afford to be charitable as charity has to begin at home for most," said Ashling. But our funds are low, donations are not coming in and I;m just hoping a miracle happens. I just have to keep the faith thats all I can do for now," she added.

In 2021 Ashling made an appeal to the public for assistance as overheads resulted in the community iniative struggling to survive. She later went on to praise the local community for coming to the rescue and saving the vital service from closure just days before Christmas.

Last year, Meath Food Bank was officially designated a charity by the charity regulator with the Trim woman and her volunteers helping thousands of families since its inception in 2014.

Ashling and her team offered assistance to approximately 3,500 people in the county during covid delivering up to twenty hampers a day to families in need at the height of the pandemic.

The Meath Food Bank has helped over 1000 families between Christmas and Easter alone.

Ashling previously told how people from “all walks of life and all different circumstances” avail of the service. She added:

“We have Irish soldiers on our list and they are in private rented accommodation and their pensions are absolutely shameful and they might ring once a month for help after they have paid their rent and there is just nothing left not even for heat or food.

“I have so many people who are ashamed ringing, the first thing you are met with is somebody breathless that you can't even understand on the phone and that is heartbreaking because these are people who have worked their whole lives who have never had to ask for anything but when you get so desperate and you have nothing left in your press to feed your kids, you'll do anything.”

Search “Helping families in need in Meath” on www.gofundme.com to make a donation.