A busy start to the year
We’re hitting the New Year at full steam ahead. As the cost of living crisis rages on, we have been very busy, Our emergency support line is busier than ever, with upwards of 20 emergency parcel requests every day. This represents a staggering increase to where we were just a few short months ago.
Sometimes we have filled up all of our emergency slots for the day by 12pm. If last minute call outs fail we inevitably have to turn people away or ask them to call back the next day.
We really need more drivers and bikers.
If you think you could help, please get in touch by signing up to volunteer here.
If can’t bike or drive but want to contribute in other ways you can also:
- Spread awareness: let your friends, family and colleagues know about food injustice. Ask them to spread the word to others too. Food poverty is not an isolated or individualised problem – it is a structural one.
- Join a team: OMA always welcomes participants in any of our amazing teams, for example phone volunteering, social media, finance, delivery coordination or logistics. To sign up or if you have and questions, please email volunteering@oxfordmutualaid.org
- Donate: If you have the means, you can share your resources with others but making a financial contribution or by donating items requested. For OMA, you can do this here: https://tinyurl.com/2x2vvzhb
You are not alone
We know it is a very difficult time for everyone and we encourage people to keep reaching out if it’s difficult to get through at first. We will do our best to get to you as quickly as possible. You’re not alone.
In the meantime, here is some information on the various sources of support around Oxford you can access around Oxford
Citizen’s Advice is looking for your feedback
Have you ever received support from OMA or a food bank? Are you a member of a larder or have been to a community Fridge?
If so citizen’s advice Oxford would like you to fill out this survey to discuss you experiences. They are trying to raise funds to provide a new advice service in the various food support services around Oxford, including Oxford Mutual Aid
To fill it out, click here
It’s anonymous and none of your personal details will be stored.
Plastic bags/bags for life needed
If you have far too many plastic bags lying around your house and don’t know what to do with them, let us help you! To save us from spending money on plastic bags, please consider donating yours to OMA. This is not only good for the planet but it is good for O.M.A’s budget.
If you a regular or emergency contact, please do return any bags you might have from us. You can give them to the driver or biker.
Choose OMA to be your local cause
Are you a Co-op Member? If so, there are additional ways you can support OMA via the Local Community Fund.
When you buy selected Co-op products and services, 2p for every £1 spent goes into your membership account. The same amount also goes towards like-minded organisations and local causes. You can select a local cause you would like to support – OMA is one of the nominated causes this year.
Here is our profile and you can choose to nominate us here.
Thanks to St Antony’s College
We wanted to say a huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to St. Antony’s College Oxford who has been preparing simply beautiful meals for Kitchen Collective and Regular / Emergency Parcel Contacts. This was especially wonderful over the festive period as many of our other partners took a well deserved break over Christmas
If you work in a kitchen or go to an Oxford College why not encourage them to get involved with Oxford Mutual Aid’s Kitchen Collective programme
‘… OMA have been so helpful and organised that we have all made easy work of it’ – Head Chef at St. Antony’s
Feedback
“Oh my goodness, nothing prepared me for such a parcel. Thank you so much!!!! More than enough. I’m close to tears.” – from a new contact
“The last parcel was great, there were two chickens which saved my family for four days. After the first few months the situation we’re in is really hitting home, I can’t afford all of the things I need and noone has any money to lend or borrow at the moment. The parcels make a big difference, my friend also receives one and we sometimes share and swap things from them.” – From a regular contact