Limerick Food Partnership (LFP) has welcomed the opportunity to meet with Minister Frank Feighan to highlight the work of the group across Limerick.
The Limerick Food Partnership – a collaboration between community, voluntary and statutory organisations involved in food-related initiatives – aims to raise awareness, improve access and increase the supply of healthy food options across Limerick City and County.
Mayor of Limerick City and County, Cllr Daniel Butler welcomed the Minister of State to Limerick last Thursday, 15 July, and highlighted the important role the Limerick Food Partnership has in addressing food poverty, especially during the Covid 19 Pandemic.
During the pandemic, members of the Partnership delivered 8,427 food packages to families across the county. LFP also worked with the Redemptorist Christmas Hamper Appeal to deliver almost 7000 hampers across the city and county.
Joint Chair of Limerick Food Partnership, Fr. Seamus Enright, C.Ss.R, said; “there is a need for adequate national resources to be allocated to be able to provide a sustained long term strategy and on the ground actions to continue the work to address food poverty issues in Limerick.”
Professor Niamh Hourigan, Sociologist and Vice-President of Academic Affairs at Mary Immaculate College, and Joint Chair of LFP said "The Limerick Food Partnership has made a vital contribution in combating food poverty in Limerick particularly during the very challenging lockdown periods of the Covid pandemic. It has provided food aid to a range of extremely vulnerable groups in the city and county as well as reaching out to communities in promoting the learning of skills in relation to food preparation and nutrition. The Limerick Food Partnership is a unique collaboration between a range of stakeholders which demonstrates the determination at local level to eradicate food poverty in the region."
Olivia O'Brien, Co-ordinator LFP, said there are exciting plans for 2021/ 2022 which will focus on providing practical training courses for families on preparing and cooking healthy food as well as raising awareness of healthy eating. She will engage with community and voluntary organisations throughout city and county to deliver on projects that will address the issues of food poverty and food preparation skills deficit.