food banks collecting in supermarkets

[TotallySociallyInept]

I popped into a supermarket on my way home. Not in the town I usually shop. This town is notorious for it very wealthy residents the whole area is. There was someone collecting for the food bank in the foyer. Lots of people took a list leaflet (they didn't have to, the fb person wasn't in the way or holding them out to people) I took one too. As I went round I tried to get as much as I could afford for the bank. In the past I have come very close to needing a fb. So my heart goes out to people and families that need them especially near Xmas. I'm not at all well off now. But I felt I could do this even if I may regret it later on in the month. I spent about £25-30. I take ages to shop. So when I came to hand over 3 bags to the bank, I was shocked to see the trolleys almost as empty as I went in and the fb person surprised I was giving him bags instead of 1 or 2 items. I wondered if this was normal? if they collect in less affluent areas, do they get more donations because people have more empathy? Or is just me?

[TheHobbit]

I'm in an affluent area and manage a shop with one and it's always empty.

[MissHJ]

I live in a poor area and the trolley outside our food bank was full up nearly and this was quite early in the day. When you do know what it is like to need a food bank, I do think you are more like to have empathy and give.

[HerrenaHarridan]

It's a well known phenomenon

www.thisblewmymind.com/they-gave-a-homeless-man-a-pizza-what-he-did-with-it-broke-me-down/

[TotallySociallyInept]

I was really hoping I was wrong to wonder

[mdpis3]

I'm in an affluent area and donated to the fb in the supermarket yesterday. The trolleys were full. 4 of them. The lovely man told me they hand out a tonne of food a month and they had collected a tonne of food in 4 days from that one supermarket. I don't think areas or being affluent has anything to do with it. People who can/do donate come from all walks of life.

[SauvignonBlanche]

I've collected at a Tesco in a poorer area and was surprised how generous some people were.

[SauvignonBlanche]

The trolley that is used for collections is emptied regularly through the day.

[TotallySociallyInept]

I did originally think they would empty the trolley. It's was the amount of people willing to walk up take a leaflet, and the amount of time I was in there and to not really see the trolley any fuller on the way out.

[TotallySociallyInept]

Mdpics3
That makes me feel better

[SauvignonBlanche]

Tesco add 30% onto the donations collected.

[KinkyDoritoWithJingleBellsOn]

Had they emptied them?

Ours is in a reasonably affluent area and I tend to get a bag or two to drop in and the trolley is usually empty. When they were actively collecting with people, trolley was pretty empty but there was a stack of stuff in crates behind where they were stood.

What bothers me is that it is periodic - some weeks they are collecting, others they aren't. I wish they'd have a point all the time.

[LBOCS]

My DDad does a lot of work with foodbanks and he said it's always surprising who gives them donations - the scruffy student type handing over bags and bags of it, and the more affluent looking people rooting around in their shopping for the one tin they've bought. Obviously they're grateful for it all but it's an interesting look at how people give.

[Bakeoffcakes]

I always just put one or two things in. I've never thought to put a bag full in there
I just assume that lots of people will put one item in and the trolley will soon fill up.

[LegoAdventCalendar]

A lot of people think poor people use food banks to avoid buying food and instead spend it on other stuff. A lot of people think people are poor because they deserve it.

[emotionsecho]

Oh dear that clip was really sad.

I nipped into a shop in our local town yesterday evening and they were asking for food bank donations, never seen it before and this is a reasonably well off area, I took a bag, asked them what they would like and filled it. They had boxes and boxes of stuff that people had donated and the shelves were remarkably empty which suggests people did step up and donate.

I gave what I could but still felt guilty that I couldn't give more.

[SauvignonBlanche]

One guy gave me a whole small trolley. He said he'd been on his uppers in the past and knew how helpful foodbanks were. He made me cry!

[Leeds2]

I live in a reasonably affluent area, and the crate in our local Tesco is usually full to overflowing. It is just there all the time though, there are never any FB representatives there too.

[TotallySociallyInept]

Kinky
I ddon't know they may of being emting them as they went along?
I also thought it would be nice to a regular collection place too

[FayKorgasm]

That clip about the pizza and homeless man has me in bits.

I always donate to the foodbank and try to put in little treats too. I've been there, trying to make food last and the pounds stretch.

[LL12]

My local Waitrose is in a quite well off town and I noticed last week that they had a food bank collection bin with 3 tins in it.
It did seem stupid that although the bin was at the exit, there was nothing about the collection at the entrance so people couldn't buy things to donate as they never knew about the collection until they were leaving the shop, and even then it was a bit blink an miss it.

Although it is in a well off town, they used to do collection for the food bank in the next town, now they need it for their own town.

[HelpMeGetOutOfHere]

Omg that clip has me in tears. I think it sadly sums up society in many many ways.

[Inthedarkaboutfashion]

I noticed yesterday that the trolley was always empty because the foid bank collectors were sorting it as do on as it came into the trolley. They sorted it into crates. I think the affluent area thing is a red herring anyway because lots of people living in so called affluent areas are cash poor and asset rich and are struggling as much as those from so called poorer areas. I don't think either group have a greater level of empathy.

[Boomtownsurprise]

I live in an affluent area. I gave what I could afford. One pint of uht milk. I'm brassic. I give every time they are there.

Social and economic issues affect the affluent or seemingly affluent too. DV, drink, drugs, abuse is not solely a preserve of the poor you know. Takes all sorts.

Looks can be deceptive. As can post codes. There are lots of people one pay check off total collapse.

[Bakeoffcakes]

I have to ask the people who put whole bags of shopping in, do you do that every week? L
I only out a couple of things in, but usually do it each week. We are quite affluent but I couldn't justify donating 2 bags of shopping each week. I also make regular donations to other charities, as other people do, so I do think its a bit harsh to judge others, when you don't know their circumstances.