Community workers and politicians across Belfast have been paying tribute to the volunteers who have stepped up to drive a massive relief effort to help the most vulnerable during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the Upper Andersonstown Community Forum in Tullymore, director Jim Girvan says the need would have gone unmet but for those willing to go the extra mile.
And it's not just packing and delivering food parcels, he says.
"We phone 120 people each day who are isolating to give them someone to talk to and to build up their mental health," explains Jim. The group is also keeping in touch with the young people who would normally access amenities at the centre via Zoom.
At the South-West Food Bank on the Stewartstown Road, volunteers are helping deliver supplies to both unionist and nationalist communities.
People Before Profit councillor Michael Collins says the commitment of volunteers has been "inspirational".
"We have a network of volunteers who are out partaking in this social solidarity work," he said. "We are getting referrals from the Shankill to the Falls to people who really need them."
Anyone who wishes to make a referral can contact People Before Profit or the South-West Belfast Food Bank.
