LifeHub NI is a Belfast-based fresh food charity which provides free nutritious food to local people living in food poverty.
LifeHUB ni was set up by Edmund Aruofor on 6th October 2017. His goal was to distribute fresh food and offer hospitality and pastoral care to people who need it.
In the early days, Edmund sourced and collected food from supermarkets and distributors in his car, which he stored in domestic fridges and freezers at a local church in Belfast.
Today, he does this using a small van which was kindly donated to him by a generous company. In May 2020, due to increased demand for the services, LifeHub moved premises to an office unit at Townsend Enterprise Park in Belfast. This allowed the expansion of its operations and allowed Edmund to more effectively continue to meet the needs of its guests in a Covid-secure way
Since June 2021 LifeHub has operated from Unit 35, Townsend Enterprise Park and the Minor Hall in Townsend Presbyterian Church’s old National School building serving.
Edmund’s vision is that LifeHub ni considerably expands its coverage to provide free nutritious food to all people in Northern Ireland who need it.
LOVE
Motivated by Christian values of love and compassion for those in need.
EQUALITY
Promote equality, diversity and inclusion in all its activities and believes that discrimination in any form is unacceptable.
WELCOME
Every guest is warmly welcomed with dignity and is not judged.
APOLITICAL
No political affiliations and is not interested or involved in politics.
COLLABORATION
Working with partners who share our vision and values to deliver on our objects; our sum is greater than our parts.
LifeHub is currently directly providing fresh food (roughly enough for 3 days’ food) for 200 adults and 100+ children per week. This is distributed through 3 sessions: Saturday for families; Monday and Tuesday for singles. Attendees are given a time slot. Attendees turning up on the day are generally turned away with details taken to get in contact as capacity allows.
Edmund does 100 per cent of pick-ups of food daily. The committed volunteer team then help with the storage, repackaging and distribution of food parcels.
In addition to distributing food parcels directly itself, LifeHub collaborates with partner charities which share its ethos, values and objectives through the redistribution of food which it secures from its food supply partners. This indirectly supports 500 people per week.
