FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
Sodexo’s Stop Hunger Foundation, an independent and UK-registered charity, has announced the funding grants to date this year which total around £400,000. Receiving grants are nine charities and projects which support the Foundation’s mission to sustainably break the cycle of food insecurity in communities across the UK and Ireland.
Grant giving is a key element of the Foundation’s work, it is one of only a few charitable organisations which award multi-year grants. One of the Foundation’s long-term charity partners is Trussell, the UK’s leading anti-poverty charity working to end the need for food banks. In 2023, Trussell became the first organisation to receive a multi-year grant from Stop Hunger and has been re-awarded another three-year funding grant valued at £100,000 a year.
The Foundation has been supporting Trussell for over 15 years Over the course of the Foundation’s last three‑year funding partnership, support has helped strengthen Trussell’s Help through Hardship freephone helpline, delivered with Citizens Advice. During this period, the helpline handled 374,908 calls, unlocking an average income gain of £3,714 per client and generating £159.4 million in total financial gains for people facing hardship, alongside access to emergency food, benefits, debt and mental health support.
Alongside grant funding, the partnership has also mobilised Sodexo colleagues, clients and supply partners, with around 200 people contributing over 1,000 volunteering hours during Volunteering Week 2025 alone, delivering strategic, practical and hands‑on support to food banks across the UK.
Emma Revie, CEO, Trussell said: “Stop Hunger is a long‑standing and highly strategic partner for Trussell. Their commitment goes beyond funding alone, combining long‑term investment with collaboration and practical support that aligns closely with our mission to end the need for food banks and support people to move towards stability.”
Over the next three years, funding will continue to support the Help through Hardship helpline, while also enabling delivery of Trussell’s new strategic priorities and strengthening early advice, improving referral pathways and supporting communities to prevent repeat food bank use. Alongside grant funding, Stop Hunger, Sodexo and Trussell will continue to work closely together through volunteering, insight and collaboration, reflecting a holistic partnership model that goes beyond transactional support to drive long‑term impact.
Patrick Forbes, Chair of Trustees, Stop Hunger Foundation, UK & Ireland said: “Long-term change requires long-term commitment. By offering multi‑year funding, we can give charity partners the stability they need to focus on delivering lasting solutions, not short-term fixes.
“Our long-standing partnership with Trussell shows how sustained investment combined with close collaboration beyond grant funding, can help people move beyond crisis and towards resilience. Alongside this, we are equally proud to continue supporting a range of charity partners through our next round of grants, working holistically with each to deliver meaningful impact in communities across the UK and Ireland.”
Trussell is not the only charity to receive a multi-year grant, The Bread and Butter Thing, which provides low‑income households with access to affordable, nutritious food through community hubs nationwide will receive £60,000 a year for the next three years, and Irish mental health charity, A Lust for Life, has been awarded €20,000 a year for two years to expand its youth mental health education programme, recognising the link between wellbeing, education and future economic stability.
Other recipients include Oasis, Smart Works Scotland, Breaking Barriers, Social Enterprise Kent and Môn Community Forward, all are charities focused on long‑term pathways out of poverty, supporting people facing disadvantage to build confidence, skills and access sustainable employment.
