Christmas/New Year Food and Mental Health Support
Mon 23rd Dec 2024 - Jan 5th 2025
Regular Opening Times until Sun 22nd Dec 2024 and from Mon Jan 6th 2025
Please use the map below to find your nearest community food project. You can also use our DCFN calendar (click the download button) to view all of the food projects listed by day and time, with provision information, costs and location. You can also use our map to search the project location by postcode and search for money advice services and housing support.
Dundee Community Food Network
The Dundee Community Food Network has been operating since its formation at the start of the Covid pandemic (more information below - Where it all started). We facilitate this Network, working with key partners: Dundee City Council, 30+ Community Food Projects, Dundee and Angus Foodbank, Alexander Community Development (ACD) and Money Advice Services. We are guided by the principles of dignity and empowering communities to be involved in decision making and having a sense of control over their own future - more information about Dignity Principles can be found here; www.nourishscotland.org/dignity-in-practice-project/
There are a number of different food provision models operating across Dundee providing local and dignified access to food, which are supporting on average 8500 people a week across Dundee;
We support the movement of food and resources between different projects and ensure partnership working and a collaborative approach is central to how we approach food insecurity (including facilitating a DCFN WhatsApp Group!). We organise and facilitate DCFN meetings to explore key issues affecting the community and projects; we ask the questions - what do you see, what do you hear and what do you need? Our support is responsive to this, which includes developing on the ground and strategic actions relating to sourcing and movement of food stock (including surplus food), responding to increasing demand, working with key partners to deliver training (such as Mental Health First Aid and REHIS Food Hygiene) and long-term sustainability planning. We also respond to the needs of volunteers and staff working on the frontline within their communities, ensuring they have access to resources, training and workshops which can aid their own self-care.
Over the last few years, the network has won the OSCA for Achieving Fairness and Reducing Inequalities, was shortlisted for a Scottish Government Public Service Award, and was recognised at both a Civic Reception in the City Chambers and a DCFN party to celebrate all of the hard work of staff and volunteers
As we continue to respond to the cost of living crisis, we keep building on a community food approach that is more dignified, tackles stigma and is sustainable and environmentally aware, allowing people more choice over the food they access and reducing their food and fuel costs. Central to this is the Cash First Approach - working with advice services and other local partners to ensure we are helping people know what support is
available and how to access it. More information can be found on our Cash First Approach page.
Where it all started
Prior to 2020, we coordinated the Dundee Drop In Network which brought together projects responding to food insecurity, as well as other partners such as the NHS, Police Scotland, Council Advice Services and many more.
As COVID-19 became more serious within the UK in 2020, we recognised the need to adapt our approach to respond to the impact this would have not only on people already struggling on low incomes but that it would push more people into poverty.
On 23rd March 2020 we initiated a city-wide response bringing together 24 local grassroots and small community-based projects from across the city, with Senior Managers from Dundee City Council, Councillor Lynne Short and Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action. We facilitated weekly Zoom meetings with this group, which became the Food Insecurity Network (and now Dundee Community Food Network) allowing us to hear what our communities are struggling with, tailor the support to the local projects and ensure the Council responds in an informed and relevant way. These projects are rooted in their local communities and are the key food providers responding to food emergency and insecurity.
While we had many projects delivering face-to-face support to individuals and families, there was a serious gap in relation to the overall practical co-ordination of food distribution to the projects. Alexander Community Development showed real leadership and commitment by stepping forward to offer a thoughtful, flexible and professional service. They developed processes and relationships at break-neck speed and have become an indispensable part of our food distribution. As we negotiate our way towards recovery and long-term solutions to food poverty in our city, they will have a unique contribution to make.