Foodbank usage

[Mrskeats]

Hard hat on.
First of all I regularly give to food banks; especially now when there is so much need.
Aibu to think that if you have about £2500 per month and very few bills for this one adult and one child you don't need to be using one? House bought outright also.
This is someone that know well. Very surprised they feel entitled to use them.

I don’t have a mortgage. I do have all the usual bills, including childcare (that at its peak topped £1k a month). Plenty of money going out. Why would you think otherwise?

I was talking about the person in the op. Why would you think I am specifically singling you out?

The person in the op has £2500 a month. No mortgage. Only the usual bills like electricity etc. They have money left over. And yet they choose to use a food bank when they don't need to. Is that what you do?

The point about food bank volunteers feeling good is odd. We don't just give food away. We also point people to other services and support. We have people who help with UC paperwork, HA claims, debt management, domestic violence, drug and alcohol services, homeless support, all sorts of other help.

We don't just do it to make ourselves feel smug and worthy. If you really think that is true contact your local bank and volunteer... see what really goes on.

I volunteer in a community hub in quite a wealthy catchment area. There are lots of people requesting food who wouldn’t normally - they can’t get out or have lost jobs, or only live month to month despite their lifestyle. Most foodbank parcels are dire - tins of slop, cheap coffee and UHT milk. Great if you are desperate but not worth the trouble if you aren’t. I’d rather a few parcels went to the scammers than we missed a vulnerable person. Whatever system you put in, people will scam, but it gets harder for the really vulnerable to access.

@Poppi89 I agree. I will judge them too.

@Poppi89 I agree. I will judge them too

I hope that you both enjoy basking in the warm glow of mean spiritedness. Why don't you write to the Mail about it also?

I think @ducksback is doing the same thing as ops friend. I just can't see why someone would be so desperate to make others feel bad for judging someone who is using a food bank when they could easily afford their own food.

Whatever Truth.

What upsets and annoys me is that someone would post spitefully on here claiming to know another family's business and perpetuating the myth that people are scamming foodbanks all the time.

This WILL stop people donating as other posters have pointed out and this, in turn, will mean that those in real need struggle even more.

No it doesn't say that everyone using food banks is scamming them, unless you like tarring everyone with the same brush. As someone else said, there are scammers everywhere. You can't stop them, but we can certainly judge them and call them out on their cheekyfuckery. They are thankfully the minority, but they are also the reason there are people starving.

Op is asking if she is unreasonable judging her friend for essentially stealing from the poor. She doesn't need that food, she feels entitled to it. She isn't entitled to anything. Food banks are for people who need them. They aren't there to make your monthly bill cheaper.

ducksback

Why would I write to the mail about people taking advantage and putting those in need at risk?
I don't understand why anyone who thinks taking something that they don't need is acceptable.

No it doesn't say that everyone using food banks is scamming them

Neither did I. Read what I said again.

Well I shall leave the goady fuckers to bitch amongst themselves but I will say this - you NEVER truly know what is going on in another family so stop judging situations that you know nothing about.

OK you said about a myth that people are scamming food banks all the time. But there are people scamming food banks all the time. They are a minority of people, but they will keep doing it. It's like when someone puts something for free on FB marketplace, someone takes it and puts it up for sale straight away. You can pretend it doesn't happen, but it does.

And some people do know about their friends or families situations. Maybe they just have closer relationships than you do? Can still judge them on their behaviour.

We set up a community foodbank and drop off/delivery hub with a local church for Covid. We have a small grant and rely on the very generous donations of the community. From day one we have had a no questions, no judging policy. Its not our role as community volunteers to assess someones personal circumstances.

I appreciate in normal times Foodbanks are more regulated - but we are not in normal times. And you might not know everything about your friend

Sikh temples feed absolutely anyone, and practically insist that you accept food. You can eat there 3 times a day if you want and save a lot of money on having to do a weekly shop
This I agree with. My childminder was Sikh and if I had to pick up from the temple I was always ushered in, sat down and fed. No questions. Then they sent someone to find my children. I kind of miss those days.

On the point of this whole thread, I figured out long ago that food banks would be abused by those who really dont need stuff. I also figured iut9, rather some get that dont need than none ever get.
Just for the record I give biscuits and coffee and juice and tinned fruit and custard and sugar. Not brand names (even I dont get brand) but anyone who's ever had to use one, did you get similar stuff?

This is ridiculous.

I'm damn sure that almost every poster on here would, in real life, be annoyed if someone they knew very well was taking advantage of a food bank when they didn't meet its criteria. All this 'you're being judgy' stuff REALLY wouldn't translate if it was someone they knew and were as certain of their circumstances as the OP is.

Seriously, what a bunch of faux holier than thou posts.

I am positive that you only trip up to a food bank cap in hand if you really really need the food.
Well you're wrong. For the vast majority of people it's really hard to accept that they need help. But yes, as with all free things, there are morally bankrupt people who do take advantage.

@Mrskeats I recently used a foodbank and to anyone close to me they would've thought it weird too.

The truth was that I had just been laid off, my employers weren't sure they could pay me and I'm up to my eyeballs in paying debt back to the bank (loans to get away from turbulent relationship and moving costs and start a new job etc) but anyone who knows me would've thought it weird as I'm on a decent salary with no dependents and live in a nice home in a lovely area. Having to queue outside that foodbank was humiliating but the welcome I got from the volunteers was really lovely. Luckily I landed back on my feet and only used them the once.

Well I shall leave the goady fuckers to bitch amongst themselves

Calm down!

A few people have said they don't like it when people abuse the system - you disagree. No need to get so irate about it.

There are people that do access services who genuinely shouldn't need them - we don't require a referral as we know that's a barrier for many in true need, we know this results in a handful of people getting food for free yet they are very much in the minority, the food really is very basic, I wouldn't want to eat most of it to be frank, tinned pies and corned beef. Same goes for our hot food project, we know that the reason most of the clients don't have money is because they squandered it on drink, tobacco and drugs, but we serve those in need without questioning them, and provide support services to help them make lifestyle changes

I would also like to put a huge thank you on record from our regular clients to the joint Muslim-Sikh project that was launched in the matter of hours after lockdown who are dropping off meals without question to hundreds daily and all they say is that if you can afford to make a donation. It's amazing food, and my friend the coordinator insisted on dropping off to my dd when they realised she was on her own. In these times it's known that incomes are completely on a knife edge, so many cut by 20% but still above uc thresholds. Don't be judgemental

As with so many of these threads, the posts from people who actually volunteer shine through.

@ducksback
I hope that you both enjoy basking in the warm glow of mean spiritedness. Why don't you write to the Mail about it also?

Meanspirited to dislike people who may be abusing a wefare system that protects the needy?? Alrighty then