I'm posting this just because - I am sure all you lovely people are already doing what you can in this regard. But just a reminder if not, food banks are still running low on supplies a lot of the time, and a lot of people just aren't really eating. The Trussell trust website also lets you find out what supplies your local food bank needs, if you decide to contribute as part of a shop rather than a cash donation.
Obviously only if you can afford it yourself...
Food banks
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discovolante
- Stummy Beige
- Posts: 4099
- Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 5:10 pm
Food banks
Last edited by Stephanie on Thu May 14, 2020 9:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Moved from Weighty Matters
Reason: Moved from Weighty Matters
To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.
Re: Food banks
Thanks for the reminder Disco. I’m still amazed how quickly food banks spread and have become normalised.
Re: Food banks
Local foodbank leafleted yesterday as they're doing a doorstep collection tomorrow. Got some bits and bobs out of the Brexit stash for them.
Re: Food banks
My dad recovered from Hodgkin's Lymphoma last year. He and my mum have been fine about getting supplies, but he eventually decided to sign up for supermarket delivery. As a new signee, in order to get a delivery slot he had to be 'highly vulnerable' (which he is - he's got a compromised immune system through the chemo), so he applied to the local government.
Less than 3 hours after submitting his application, he found a food parcel on the doorstep containing quite a decent range of staple food, and enough for a week for the two of them. Then, two days later they came back from a walk to find another food parcel on the doorstep. Three days later, there was another one. He contacted the local government and spent ages getting through to the right people, but they don't want the parcels back. So he went down the local food bank with his 2 extra parcels and they said they have been getting a steady stream of people who are eligible for the food parcels for the vulnerable, but not in need of them.
My dad managed to catch the next food parcel delivery and tell them not to bother, but it does seem as if the local government and food banks are almost working at cross-purposes. The local government has to cater for vulnerable people, but the food banks cater for those actually in need.
(As an aside, my dad used to organize a thing called Project Wenceslas for the local area where pensioners who receive the government's extra fuel allowance in winter, but don't necessarily need it, can donate it to people who do need it - so he knows what the food bank people are going through.)
Less than 3 hours after submitting his application, he found a food parcel on the doorstep containing quite a decent range of staple food, and enough for a week for the two of them. Then, two days later they came back from a walk to find another food parcel on the doorstep. Three days later, there was another one. He contacted the local government and spent ages getting through to the right people, but they don't want the parcels back. So he went down the local food bank with his 2 extra parcels and they said they have been getting a steady stream of people who are eligible for the food parcels for the vulnerable, but not in need of them.
My dad managed to catch the next food parcel delivery and tell them not to bother, but it does seem as if the local government and food banks are almost working at cross-purposes. The local government has to cater for vulnerable people, but the food banks cater for those actually in need.
(As an aside, my dad used to organize a thing called Project Wenceslas for the local area where pensioners who receive the government's extra fuel allowance in winter, but don't necessarily need it, can donate it to people who do need it - so he knows what the food bank people are going through.)
"My interest is in the future, because I'm going to spend the rest of my life there"
Re: Food banks
Also it seems that there is a complete fiasco in free school meal voucher provision at the moment.
Having to apply every week must add a huge amount of extra admin cost to the system as well as failing those in need.
Having to apply every week must add a huge amount of extra admin cost to the system as well as failing those in need.
Have you considered stupidity as an explanation
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Cardinal Fang
- Snowbonk
- Posts: 421
- Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2019 7:42 pm
Re: Food banks
Parent is also classified as "extremely vulnerable" due to having a transplant and being on immunosuppressants. Likewise they get a food box every few days. It gets pootled up the road by sibling (who lives across the road from parent pretty much and therefore shops and things for them both) to a local teacher who is co-ordinating getting food and essentials out to families of kids in her school who normally rely on free school meals. A lot of them are struggling to get vouchers because it's almost impossible to apply each week then even harder to download them afterwards. Local schools are doing their best to make alternative provision for them.
CF
CF
