Thinking about donating to foodbank. AIBU to be dubious

[SwingYourPantsNow]

OK, I know I'm probably being unreasonable here.
I've been thinking about donating to the foodbank, but I'm in two minds. It's a self referral one. That means you can rock up and declare food for yourself without being referred. How does that even work?! How do you go about proving you're in need and can't feed yourself?
Sorry in advance for stupid questions.

:o

Lol. God bless her. :)

We digress

Off to bed now folks, two hours later than planned, will I be sorry in the morning? I don't doubt it

Nitol :)

Well then OP - donate to a Food Bank that requires referral letters. Problem solved, surely?

Just donate what you feel like on the day, if it's £2 of biscuits it's hardly going to change someone's life but it might give them a better afternoon than they would have had otherwise. A little something is better than nothing.

Swing, you know that you can donate money as well as food, right? So you're not limited to your local food bank, but could donate to a non-self-referral system like the Trussell Trust.

If the OP (or anyone else) is interested in some actual research on this rather than anecdote and rhetoric, here is the recent DEFRA-commissioned report on food bank use, conducted by researchers at the University of Warwick:

report

Plus a newspaper article summarising the findings.

Yes, you usually need to be refered but donations can be given out without referals if really necessary.

No. You DO NOT have to be on benefits in order to go to a food bank. We deal with claims from all across the spectrum.

I know this thread has had it's day but people need to know, just because you are working doesn't mean that help isn't there if you need it.

We get working families, claimants, school children, university students, young parents, those fleeing from domestic violence, those just out of hospital...and they are refered from everywhere, social services, schools, universities, doctors, dentists, churches, salvation army, carers...you name it, we've had it.

No one will be turned away unless we just haven't got the food in.

The Trussell Trust website states that doctors can refer people as well, Nigellasdealer, although that's not terribly helpful if the foodbank local to you isn't a Trussell Trust one, I know...

Can I ask, FoodBankWorker, is it sometimes better to donate money than food? I have heard it can be more efficient sometimes as they can get better deals on the food they purchase than the average shopper in a supermarket... (and buy exactly what they need, rather than having to wade through endless tins of chopped tomatoes)

Would you say this the case?

Did anyone see the Sports Relief programme last night where celebrities live for a week or so with people living in food poverty?

That single mum who had to go to the council offices to plead her case for food bank vouchers broke my heart. How degrading and demeaning for anyone to have to do that.

I firmly think that going into a food bank and admitting that you can't feed yourself and your children is something that you would do only when you are at your lowest. A couple of unscrupulous people might slip through the net and get away with a tin of beans or whatever but I think that on the whole, food goes to the neediest.

Give or don't give, OP. If you don't feel comfortable, you aren't going to feel good about your donation, are you?

The sad fucking truth of the matter is that in this country today it is not just the unemployed/vulnerable/elderly etc who are in need of food banks.

There are many working people, many families who are struggling day to day, week to week, month to month to feed themselves and their families; having to choose between heat and food, going hungry to feed their kids etc etc. And it's not because they're feckless or stupid or whatever; it's because no matter what BS the government are spouting the bare fact of the matter is that cost of living is soaring while wages are not and public services are being cut right left and centre.

WRT food banks, I think it's appalling and disgusting that there is a need for them in the 21st century in a Western country. And I think, 'there but for the grace of God go I'. It makes me angry and sad and angry again.

Our foodbank is very pleased to be given money, as it has costs for premises.

You'd have to ask your local what it prefers.

And DON'T FORGET THE TAX-BACK!

If you're paying income tax, you can fill in a form so the foodbank can claim back 25% tax on your donation.

I live in a military town and the local camp is helping do up a building for a foodbank as a number of those using the food bank were military wives, so not just for those on benefits

I wish that I knew more people in real life that had the same common sense approach to benefits and generally anyone who is claiming as you lot do.

All this bullshit that is fed to these people, who then rant at you but then say "oh but not you your different" really gets you down after a while.

There will be criteria they need to fulfil. I work in a food bank, it's a self referral one. Our clients need to produce something called a health card or pension card (this is what they are given here if one low income/single parents benefit etc).

If they don't, they don't get help.

surely self referral is far too easy to manipulate and you don't know if it's like your stepdaughter just out for the free food or if it's the majority in genuine need You have to think of those in need, not those who bag their way to a free food parcel. There are WAY more people in genuine need than there are blaggers, op. Your help is valuable, please don't deny those who are in need because of a rouge few.

'Did anyone see the Sports Relief programme last night where celebrities live for a week or so with people living in food poverty?'

I saw that and the thing that stood out the most to me was how Cheryl Fergison (who I didn't recognise but just looked up, however did I guess she was from Eastenders?) was jumping about at finding bread etc when she was skip dipping.

It really fucked me off and showed just how some people can see 'The Poor' as somehow morally lacking because they're skint. That they are only fit for out of date food and should accept anything given to them with gratitude. That they're only worthy of eating mouldy bread someone's thieved out of a bin.

And it's offensive to send someone in who's bleating on about the contrast between their £25 breakfast and what their host has to live on (the TOWIE twat or whoever he was), thinking they're doing The Poor a favour by shining their celebrity personality on them for a couple of weeks. Comparing what they're doing for publicity with the years, decades even generations of grinding poverty some have to live with is a ridiculous comparison.