Do you have any food or hygiene products you can spare? A Leeds-based organisation needs your help.
Pay it Forward Leeds is run by five volunteers who help people in need across the city – and founder member Susan Denton, from Armley, has issued an urgent appeal for help as lockdown has increased demand for support. She said:
“The situation is desperate. We have nothing left in stock. Everyday families are pleading with us to help them. We need food and hygiene products urgently.”
Originally Josie Binns, of Belle Isle, started distributing toy parcels (and others) around her local area around Christmas 2019, funded purely by herself.
Josie did this because she had experienced what it was like to struggle when she first had children. Since then Josie has seen this expand until it was impossible to do it all on her own.
Josie was joined by volunteers Katt Cooper (Rodley), Susan Denton (Armley), Ariminta Dowgill–Foster (Woodhouse) and Georgia Stephenson (Farsley) and it has really taken off in all areas, including West Leeds.
Katt Cooper said:
“If you have it and you don’t need it any more, PLEASE donate it.”
The non-profit organisation Pay it Forward – Leeds has expanded into distributing toy parcels, food parcels, top-up school meal parcels etc, as well as advising people the best places to contact with their problems.
They intend to continue expanding the organisation in the New Year and St Thomas’s Church in Stanningley is helping by letting them store and distribute from the church, which is giving them a central hub. All parcels have been completely cleaned and disinfected in line with the Covid-19 guidelines.
If you know anyone who would benefit from this or you have anything you would like to donate please e-mail p.i.f.f@outlook.com. There is more information on the Facebook page Pay it Forward – Leeds.
Pay It Forward – Leeds also needs urgent help with its Community Interest Company (CIC) application.