To think that food banks miss the point a bit?

[orangecranberry]

I donated some tins today at Tesco, but was thinking looking in the trolley that it looked an unappetising and generally unappealing array of stuff, largely due to the fact you can't of course donate items that would make a meal such as meat or veg or bread - baked beans without toast can't be too pleasant.

Also, if someone is lacking heat (freezing here just now!) soap, any number of things they might need, food might miss the point. In other words, feeding themselves might be less of a priority than being warm, or putting petrol in the car (many people need cars to work before people chime in with 'sell the car then') - wouldn't it be better if people could go to the CAB, doctors and get a referral not for food but for a smallish sum of cash?

Surely far nicer to spend £1.50 on a loaf of bread and tin of beans than to have just the tin of beans given to you?

That should say without heating or petrol. NOT without heating or food

This is not a recent phenomenon. I remember helping my mum collecting for food banks 25 years ago. People are just more aware of it now.

Unfortunately there will be a small minority who would use the money for other things rather than food. That's just the way things are. There will always be a small minority who will look for loopholes and ways to exploit the system.
Personally I think vouchers could be given for topups on key meters. That is something that can really help people who are struggling financially.

YABU

So we are letting people have autonomy over their lives and prioritise their spending?

That's a bad thing?

Many of my clients would benefit from being able to get assistance with bus tickets too.

Actually OP, if you go and find the other recent foodbank threads you will find that those of us who really do know what they do have explained, in depth, that we don't simply give away food.

You are working off a set of assumptions that are not be true. That trite 'ooh they may not have fuel' comment shows that you don't know how foodbanks work within the support their users get. Go and read the multiple recent foodbank threads and find out what really does happen.

Don't blame us, concentrate your ire on the environment that creates the need for us.

And please, don't say you aren't criticising food banks - the wording of your thread title says different.

For goodness sakes, of course I am not criticising food banks. I'm certainly not criticising the people who give their time and their money.

My post is about the environment creating these sort of circumstances. Of course I am angry that people work very hard indeed for very little financial reward; I'm one of those people.

My concern is that food banks give away - food.

If you do not have heating in your home, fuel in your car (which you need for work) and your child's shoes give up the ghost and the washing machine packs in, food doesn't help, does it?

So I am musing whether a system based on small grants might be better. If we are giving someone £20 worth of food £20 worth of cash may offer more options for that particular person.

Do not assume I am being critical. I'm not. I'm asking if there may be a better way.

If it is down to the Tories, why are there as many, if not more, foodbanks in France and Sweden, the socialist paradise?

Crisis loans were just a different type of plaster, they didn't solve problems any better than food banks do.

People are given money already in the form of benefits, we don't need food banks to do that. People are given the money they need, even if it takes some time. Yes, there are issues with people being sanctioned because of mental illness, but that tells me we need better provision for people with mental illness. There are people who need food banks because of zero hours contracts, but that means we need better employment rights. Neither of those things mean we need to give out more money, that will not fix anything.

Probably because, at the moment, the world is still suffering from the world-wide recession brought on by the financial crisis of 2008 - caused by the disastrous, unregulated banking practices at the time.

But my concern isn't so much with benefits claimants as the working poor.

At the moment it's frighteningly easy to run out of money and what do you do then?

PtolemysNeedle the majority of people getting sanctioned is not because of mental illness. You just have to read the threads on here and other chat forums to see the many, many petty reasons people are being sanctioned.

I do agree zero hours contracts are a problem but if we vote to come out of Europe (like the government are pushing for) then things will get a lot worse as we will lose out on the many employment rights we have now as a result of being in the EU.

I know that too pumpkin, I was just responding with the comment a previous poster made in my mind. What I really mean is sanctions in general can be a problem, but that doesn't mean that food banks should give out money. It means we need a welfare system that is fair and fit for purpose.

Can we have a source for that please, caroldecker

Yes, food banks give away food.

They exist to fill a small gap in finances. Not to solve all social ills. They exist to address one of a number of problems - just like the CPL protects cats, not toads or any other animal!

If you do not have heating in your home, fuel in your car (which you need for work) and your child's shoes give up the ghost and the washing machine packs in, food doesn't help, does it?

Huh? So your opinion seem to be if you are cold, have no car, can't afford shoes and haven't got a washing machine, well you can just starve to death too, cos it won't make any difference?

We could all close our doors tomorrow and say "Oh, Big Society, you sort it out from now on". But where would you start?

Seriously, in practical terms, what would you suggest happens, immediately, so no one starves whilst it is being one?

"" the majority of people getting sanctioned is not because of mental illness""

Disabled people are being disproportionately sanctioned and over 90% are sanctioned wrongly (every piece if research bears that out).

I worked in a Voluntary Welfare a Rights role and the way Disabled people were treated by all Government Offices, is a national disgrace.

In my region, you can be sign posted to other services, via being sign posted to a Food bank.

This will allow you up to £20 cash and £20 voucher (usually for Asda) a week. Benefits can be helped to be fast tracked, or at least a portion of them, if severe hardship is likely to continue for three weeks, other options are available.

I know that the system doesn't work as well in every LA/Region and this is what needs rectifying.

I actually don't blame people for staying long term unemployed and ensuring they have a consistent income, rather than take low paid work and risk experiencing "working poverty".

OP, I can't speak for other posters who refer clients to food banks.

But in my job, if I make that referral, I will also be referring to other organisations for help. Examples could be the CAB for a Local Assistance Scheme grant (replaced crisis loans round here) and debt advice; the local Childrens Centre for free pre-school activities; the school for pupil premium to improve school attainment; the local council for housing issues; local charities for secondhand furniture and school uniform; the list goes on.

This is part of the reason why many food banks only accept referrals from organisations where they know the client is also being supported to resolve other issues that exacerbate or have contributed to their food poverty.

random
In France, one in 88 people are fed by food banks, yet in the United Kingdom the figure is one in 181. source

And Sweden?

At the food bank that I volunteer in we give
Milk, bread, cereal, jam, tea, juice, sugar, fruit, veg, beans, soup , noodles , rice pudding and biscuits as basics, then we give them enough for three main meals say, curry and rice, pasta and sauce and hotdogs and mash, if we have any treaty stuff like crisps or chocolate we pop that in as an extra, this gives somebody enough to eat fairly well for three days, if somebody has no cooking facilities or limited facilities we make up the parcel accordingly, the reason we don't give cash is because a lot of the people we help have either drug or alcahol issues or can't manage their money responsibly so this makes sure they are fed well and the money isn't spent on other things, we have toiletries which we are happy to give out if requested so these are always good to donate, it would be lovely to just be able to hand over cash to help people out but it really wouldn't be helping people in the way food banks were set up to help

They could then buy up product to match need and possibly even secure a discount with the supermarket

they could buy bulk, not at a supermarket!!

Interesting Carol, the date is 2013. It's also the day after the British Government turned down a significant amount of foodbank funding from the E.U.

Perhaps you would be better looking at the reasons why France has greater use of foodbanks than the UK?

UK increases in foodbank use

2013 is also only one year since Hollande took over. Wouldn't you say this was more the responsibility of his predecessor? The conservative Sarkozy?