York families hit by cost of living crisis turn to Hoping

The new leader of City of York Council, Cllr Claire Douglas, saw how more than 60 per cent of the meals prepared by volunteers at the Hoping York Kitchen were destined for barely coping families when she visited this weekend.

Read next:

• York supermarket left with empty shelves after supply issues
• Here's why police are out in force in York and North Yorkshire
• Police raid homes arresting 17 people

Cllr Claire Douglas (Image: Supplied)

According to the latest figures for York, of the 11,524 people relying on Universal Credit in March 2023 - a four per cent uplift on this time last year - 45 per cent were in work.

A regular helper at the Hoping York kitchen, Cllr Douglas said: "It's shocking that so many working families in the city are struggling to cope. The work that Hoping does in putting nutritious meals on the table is vital to these families' wellbeing."

Hoping, run entirely by unpaid volunteers, was set up in 2016 to feed the city's homeless. Throughout the pandemic they provided hot meals to hotels where the homeless were housed. Now typically each week around 70 homeless and barely coping benefit from hot meals, practical and emotional support, a foodbank and signposting to other services.

Kathy Stevenson, one of Hoping's organisers, said: "Increasingly we see people in hardship on the brink of losing their homes. By providing the support we do, we play a small part in stopping families from falling into homelessness."

Cllr Claire Douglas serves Hoping diners alongside Hoping organiser Kathy Stevenson (Image: Hoping)

Cllr Douglas said: "I've witnessed this shift in demographic over the winter months. We are a proud City of Human Rights and neither homeless people nor housed families should be living with this anxiety and hardship. Our new administration is committed to addressing the issue and its root causes."

Cllr Claire Douglas with volunteer Darius and some items from the foodbank and toiletries (Image: Hoping)

When Labour took over control of the city council earlier this month after the local elections, Cllr Douglas, speaking exclusively to The Press pledged to be a 'listening' leader who will make local politics relevant to local people again.

She Douglas unveiled plans to tackle everything from the lack of affordable housing to the cost of living crisis and the performance of underachieving children in city schools.

But she says she also wants to restore pride and a sense of engagement with local government in the city.

Hoping volunteers are out in force in all weathers

Hoping York Street Kitchen relies almost entirely on the York public and businesses for funding.

There are no paid staff so donations directly benefit those in poverty in York. Please direct donations through @HopingYork Fb and Twitter for Hoping bank details.

The street kitchen’s excellent community work was recognised when it won The Press’s York Community Pride Award for Best Community Project 2022.

The Hoping kitchen at King's Manor in York