To think if you rely on a food bank you may need to compromise your vegan principles?

[LondonUnited]

I’m a supporter of our local food bank and am on their mailing list. I received an email earlier to say that they were supporting a vegan family and were therefore asking for specific food donations, including Oatly oat milk, various nuts and seeds, specific types of beans, etc etc.

I may get flamed for this but I couldn’t help thinking that - allergies aside (and I have a milk allergic child so I do get it) - if you need a food bank to feed your family, you might need to compromise on diet slightly? For a start, Oatly Barista is lovely and all that, but Aldi or Asda oat milk is also ok and half the price. And that the odd bit of tinned fish may be easier to access from a food bank than Brazil nuts and chia seeds...

Isn't oatly cancelled because they have recieved funding from a company associated with deforestation and supporting trump and part of their selling point is their wokeness? Probably see it dropping in price for a while.

@Floralbean no such thing as ethical consumerism under capitalism 😭

That's what makes brands who make money off of building their brand around the idea in order to make more £££s somewhat ironic.

I don’t know who is running the foodbank from the list of items above but they aren’t allowed to accept formula or razors

Who makes the rules regarding formula? Whoever it is, they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for putting their own personal ideology ahead of people being able to feed hungry babies whose mothers struggle or are biologically unable to breastfeed. Or have chosen not to, for whatever reason - the same as those who have chosen to be vegan should have their choices respected. Not to mention widowers with very young children. Disgraceful.

Who makes the rules regarding formula? Whoever it is, they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for putting their own personal ideology ahead of people being able to feed hungry babies whose mothers struggle or are biologically unable to breastfeed.

I run a very new food bank (established during lockdown). In our case the rule came from the local authority (Lewisham). The guidance we were given was not to supply formula or infant food but instead to refer people (with their permission) to the HV team so they could get the vouchers they needed for these items and where necessary support in infant feeding. We saw first-hand that these referrals were acted on very quickly, and where people needed formula it was supplied.

When the guidance came out I was hugely dismayed about it. In hindsight, I support it - we have a lot of people who aren't "in the system" and aren't registered at all with HVs, doctors, schools etc. I think those connections are very useful if the recipient is open to them, and that they can stop people falling through the cracks.

Isn't oatly cancelled because they have recieved funding from a company associated with deforestation and supporting trump and part of their selling point is their wokeness? Probably see it dropping in price for a while

Yup. They're making fools of themselves on their SM too. Basically replying to people who bought from them and being very smug and ignorant in their replies. It's so embarrassing to read.

The vouchers are much better, they ensure that they always have access to formula (food bank donations of it wouldn't likely be enough to meet demand), and also people can choose the brand that they want, and not worry that the one they normally use isn't available.

Yup. They're making fools of themselves on their SM too. Basically replying to people who bought from them and being very smug and ignorant in their replies. It's so embarrassing to read.

Yeah they should just say yeah we have accepted money from them because we wanted to rather than their ridiculous excuses. Or just not mentioned i.

@Pandacub7
I find it odd they’re asking for an expensive brand of dairy free milk. Why not supermarket own soya milk?

Because the clients are allergic to soya milk?

Because the clients need Oatly for their young children? Not all supermarket oat milks are a suitable milk replacement for young children.

Plant based milks are not all created equal.

@Parker231
I don’t know who is running the foodbank from the list of items above but they aren’t allowed to accept formula or razors

If you're referring to the list I posted then yes they are - those items are in the Suggested Donations list.

What they don't want:
Expired Items (or items without a printed expiration date)
Homemade or home-canned Food
Medications (prescription or over-the-counter)
Open items
Products not in their original packaging

Who makes the rules regarding formula? Whoever it is, they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for putting their own personal ideology ahead of people being able to feed hungry babies whose mothers struggle or are biologically unable to breastfeed. Or have chosen not to, for whatever reason - the same as those who have chosen to be vegan should have their choices respected. Not to mention widowers with very young children. Disgraceful.

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

You need to look at the list again.

Formula is specifically included on the SUGGESTED DONATIONS list.

The list of items they do not want includes:
Expired Items (or items without a printed expiration date)
Homemade or home-canned Food
Medications (prescription or over-the-counter)
Open items
Products not in their original packaging

• That is, if you're referring to my list.

mathanxiety

I wasn't actually responing directly to your post, but to Parker231's reply. I'm glad that your FB organisers have their heads screwed on, but sadly, it sounds like that common sense (not to mention compassion) isn't universal. As has already been said, telling people to apply through their HV or other government body is the clear mark of a decision made by somebody who doesn't actually understand the concept of urgency and poverty at all. You might not be in the system, you might not speak English, it might be Friday evening, you might not have access to a phone/internet etc. etc. Either they really don't understand the needs of their clients or, worse still, simply don't care

I'm glad that your FB organisers have their heads screwed on

....and that they aren't thwarted by ridiculous rules they're forced to follow in their area.

I donate to food banks like many others by buying a few extra items each time I go to supermarkets. I just buy staples like pasta, pasta sauce, lentils, tins of soup and baked beans, hot chocolate (which I buy because I know how much my son loves it), tea bags, coffee, sanity protection, tins of fruit and veg and the odd packet of biscuits. I only buy more non essential items near to Christmas or Easter. Then I throw in an advent calendar and chocolates or Easter eggs. My view is that a hungry person could eat those items and manage my dh is vegetarian and agrees he could survive on those items if he had to. I think it is very good that supermarkets have donated millions of pounds to food banks during Covid19.

www.trusselltrust.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/donate-food/

If you are interested in donating food to your local foodbank, you can use this link to search for what your local foodbank needs most

Also worth a look at www.foodaidnetwork.org.uk
which represents those food banks which are not part of Trussell Trust.