Chief Executive

About Us

Our vision is An Edinburgh without poverty, where everyone has what they need to thrive. At Edinburgh Food Project we are always clear that there is much more to us than just providing a foodbank service – we’re very definitely not just about packets of pasta and tins of beans.

All of our work is built on three important principles – relief, support and change.

With the seven food banks we run across the city, Edinburgh Food Project provides immediate relief from hunger and worry for those people who simply don’t have enough money to live on. In 2024, we provided over 19,000 food parcels, over £6,000 in cash grants, and over £4,000 in fuel vouchers.

That’s where the support part of our work comes in. As well as providing immediate access to food to those who need it Edinburgh Food Project also offers a money advice service. Through this service, we are able to directly support people who need help with debt, budgeting and benefits claims. The support we offer is crucial because we often find that people we meet aren’t getting everything they are entitled to. We don’t simply give people advice and send them away, we work with them through the whole process, offering support when they’re under real financial pressure. In 2024, we secured over £580,000 for more than 200 people who access our services.

We offer further support through our network of specialist partners too – everything from housing and energy advice to opening a bank account or applying for a job. Our community hub is a hive of activity with 12 organisations offering advice and support fortnightly, cooking classes, women’s groups and digital skills workshops.

The change element of our work is a vital part of what we do at the Edinburgh Food Project. We can’t change the current economic situation but we always aim to make a noise about how the crisis is affecting ordinary people. We use our voice to join a chorus of people highlighting the need for change.

For us, it’s important to advocate for long term change. We want nothing less than to find ways to help more people move away from immediate need and out of poverty for good.