In August 2023 Edinburgh Food Project opened a new Community Hub at the Thistle Centre of Wellbeing in Craigmillar. The Hub is a partnership between the Edinburgh Food Project and the Thistle Foundation that brings together, under one roof, a suite of support tailored to meet the needs of the local community.
It has been an ambitious venture to meet the concerning levels of food insecurity in Edinburgh while also supporting people to break out of the cycle of poverty.
The Community Hub model consists of five core elements:
Seasonal Events that bring the whole community together
Shop style foodbank offering emergency food with choice and dignity
Money Advice Service our in-house service that offers advice on benefits, debt and income maximisation
12 Support Agencies that support people to address poverty, exclusion and disability
Courses such as cooking and digital inclusion courses to help bring the community together and learn new skills
We celebrated one year of the Hub this year and we want to share the impact that we have has since we opened our doors in 2023. Please see the below Impact Report which outlines our key partnerships with support agencies, the various courses and events hosted at the Hub, and stories of the real life impact the Hub is having for individuals in the community.