A HARD-UP mother was able to feed her two children thanks to a Chelmsford food bank that has fed 1,500 people in similar difficulties in the past year.
Pamela Balagot, 26, of Moulsham Street, was forced to use the emergency service twice in the past 12 months to feed her children Marcus, six, and Philicia, two.
"We were having a really tough time – my partner had just lost his job and we hadn't got much money because we were waiting for the benefits to come through," she told the Chronicle.
"We had to pay the electricity – it was so high, so we couldn't afford to buy food.
"The health visitor for my daughter told us about the food bank, she arranged for me to look at their service."
The charity, which celebrated its first anniversary last month is based at Waterfront Place in Wharf Road. It helps the hungry by giving them emergency food supplies to tide them over temporarily before payday.
Police, doctors, the Citizen's Advice Bureau and social workers help the food bank identify needy recipients and vouchers are handed out, which are then exchanged for prepared food parcels.
The people who come through the charity's doors could be facing any situation – from losing a job, experiencing a relationship breakdown, debt, loss of income or benefit delays.
The parcels contain non-perishable food such as pasta, sauces, tinned fruit, soup, sugar and tea or coffee. The amount depends on whether the claimant is living alone or has a family.
Ms Balagot, who was a chef before she became a full-time mum, was pleased when she came to the food bank and picked up the food box for her family.
"I felt great because I did not expect for it to be that much, I was so happy," she said.
"It definitely is a lifeline. The children loved the pasta and the biscuits."
While the food charity, which relies completely on donations from the public, focuses on edible necessities, it also accepts other items.
The first time Ms Balagot went to the food bank, she found among the donated items a candle for her daughter's second birthday, which was on the next day.
"It was very touching and made it more special," she said.
"I am so grateful that the food bank helped us because we would not have had as much food."
It is something she hopes others will become aware of and use if needed.
"If more people support the food bank then they will be able to help more people who are in hunger," she said.
Project manager Ruth Leverett said: "Foodbank is a great project which brings people from all walks of life together.
"We're the crisis food place – we try to get our users lifelines to other organisations that we know about. People come in and they go out looking completely different.
"It's great bringing people together."
The food bank is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 12.30pm.
For more information, visit www.chelmsford.foodbank.org.uk, e-mail info@chelmsford.foodbank.org or call 01245 790769.
