Manchester food bank joins forces with KFC to help people struggling with cost of living

A food bank in Manchester has teamed up with KFC to provide fried chicken for its community to help with the cost of living crisis.

Ran by community hero Ibukun Ojedokun, The Spirit and Bride Kingdom mission foodbank, based in Atherton, Wigan, is helping those less fortunate each week, with food parcels and a warm place.

FareShare, the UK’s biggest charity fighting hunger and tackling food waste, helps redistribute surpluses of potentially wasted food across 10,000 charities and community groups across the UK.

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The KFC and FareShare relationship is already active in 650 KFC locations, and it will be expanded to all 1,000 KFC locations by the beginning of May 2023.

Fareshare provides an app called Fareshare Go Foodiverse which charities and community groups can use to find the nearest KFC restaurant giving away a surplus of chicken.

KFC is able to give away five menu items to charities/community groups: Fillets, Mini Fillets, Hot Wings, Zinger Chicken, and Original Recipe Chicken.

The fast-food chain donates the chicken frozen, allowing The Spirit and Bride foodbank to record the temperature of the frozen chicken, and take it back to the community center where it is stored in the freezer.

Alongside the KFC chicken, a selection of hot food is available on-site with all meals being cooked by volunteers and served to those in need.

The KFC chicken is also used as part of food parcels to take home with clear instructions for re-heating for those who are unable to travel to the food bank.

Ibukun Ojedokun, Director at The Spirit and the Bride Kingdom Mission Foodbank spoke to the MEN on her journey at the charity: “I set up the