I absolutely know I’m being unreasonable….

[CurlewKate]

….and I know it’s so much easier and more efficient and better for all concerned. But I do think that we lose some sort of connectedness when we donate to our local foodbank by placing an online order, rather than donating actual physical stuff. And I do think it makes it harder to make small donations,like a couple of tins in a collecting box as you shop. One of our supermarkets has taken away their collecting box and put up a link to online donations-that prompted this post.

I basically hate living in a country where foodbanks are needed. How they are contributed to is immaterial in the face of the greater evil (and I do donate)

I know exactly what you mean, last week I told a homeless person I had no change and he got a card reader out of his pocket and said he can do contactless. It just doesn't feel right

Yeah I think you are but I get it. Money donations mean they can choose exactly what they need. But I do feel good about buying something useful to though I know that this shouldn't be about me. I've compromised - I use the Bank the Food app so I know what my local food bank needs when I'm shopping, but I also donate money.

It wasn’t that long ago that the proliferation of food banks seemed shocking. It’s so normal now.

I don't think YABU. I understand why they are doing it but sometimes people aren't going to be able to afford to give a generous donation and would feel embarrassed about giving a just a pound (or the equivalent of a couple of tins of beans). I hope it works out for them but it's a risky strategy IMO.

Absolutely- it’s completely shocking. Thinking about it I think that’s what I mean-anything that detaches us even more from the people who need to use food banks has to be a bad thing.

Why is it up to struggling individuals to donate to foodbanks at all?
Leaving Tesco etc, folk who've struggled to pay for their own shopping, put stuff back, brought cheaper versions, are faced with sad faced begging foodbank volunteers.
Pupils asked to bring donations to school, without any understanding that some of these pupils are more in need.
The focus is all wrong.

I suppprt the context of on-line donations. I never have the headspace to rwgister what the foodback charity is requesting and do my shopping on autopilot. If there's a person with a collecting tin, I often put a tenner in and have a chat. That way they can buy what they specifically need. If there were an on-line link when I do my on-line shops, I'd welcome it.

When I do contribute, I often put in a clutch of chocolate bars or nice biscuits. I see no reason why people who are really struggling shouldn't have a treat alongside their supermarket basics.

I work in a food bank. I will take donations in any form, thanks! People's time, tins, money to buy food - it all helps.

I have a lot of frustration at "the system" - people are food insecure. Organisations spring up to provide support. Those organisations need staff (usually) and volunteer time. People donate, which often means either lining a supermarket's pockets a bit, or offering money (great) which volunteers then need to spend at the same supermarket, again lining the supermarket's pockets. And beneficiaries come along and get food, probably of a more limited choice than they would to the same value at the supermarket if they could afford it, and definitely while feeling worse about themselves (despite people like me basically spending every waking moment trying to end the stigma around food poverty). And next week the whole cycle starts again. So the actual cost of that 45p tin of beans is likely near £2.

Meanwhile we're the 6th/7th largest economy on earth and the gov't could end food insecurity tomorrow if they wanted.

I'll vote for anyone who puts me out of business.

Sorry, my last post was unreasonable. But on a site positively crawled bg with posters justifying why they can’t contribute another penny of their “hard earned money” to creating a better society, seeing people who are actually trying to do something about it maligned like that makes me fume. Yes of course we shouldn’t live in a society where people rely on food banks, but we do. Either get over it or do something about it. Like the people who contribute whatever they can, because that’s what good people do.

I'm sorry - what? Is this for real? I can't imagine a homeless person with a card reader.

DFOD?

You have no say on how people spend their money or the right to define what a 'good person' is. Again, your anger is completely misdirected.

DFOD = Do F* Off Dear

Charming from @CurlewKate.

The other issue with FBs going in and buying up trays of lower priced food from Tesco etc, means that there's then no lower priced food left for customers who maybe only want one or two cans of something. That's an issue in our local store,.

I can. He’s quite possibly like the one who was outside our M&S for years, with his dog.
Thanks to local investigative journos, it eventually turned out that he had his own flat (owned, not rented) and ££££ in the bank.

I do give regularly to homeless charities - Crisis, the Sally Army, and St Mungo’s. Just not to anyone on the street any more.

Noooo. Is that a joke? WTF.

I apologise for any misdirected anger.

I have no say in how people spend their money. I agree. I don’t think I said I did.

That's an 'I apologise if you didn't like it' sort of statement, not an actual apology, but it doesn't matter anyway.

Read your previous words, they suggest you do.

I absolutely agree that we shouldn't live in a society where food banks are needed. But they are needed.

And one of the reasons for that is because the poorest in society can't afford to feed themselves and their families. Yet here we are, with the budget this week, and endless better-off people complaining about having to pay more tax and their taxes being spent on benefits.

Cognitive dissonance at its finest.

I know.