To think that all these people giving away food, are misguided

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So, there's a proliferation of people on the local Facebook groups, making packed lunches, buying extra food, putting food out the front of their house for free collection etc. And telling people to collect it, no questions asked, or of they need it delivered, just PM them etc. And people are volunteering to deliver food etc

It's all done with the intention to help others that might be struggling to feed their kids etc

Now, whilst I appreciate the intention is to help others, AIBU to think that actually it doesn't help in the long run?

Surely, the food/money/items would be better given to food banks or similar, as that way local authorities/GPs/care teams etc, can actually provide the help and support these vulnerable people and families need? Potentially there's poverty going "under the radar" if people bypass the systems in place to help them, and that will address the underlying issues that are causing their kids to go without food/heating/whatever.

As it doesn't effect people ability to use food banks, or access government help if the free food is no longer available then it doesn't do any harm.

AFAIK items like fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat can be difficult to find at the food bank, so if it fills that gap then why not?

People preparing healthy meals like curries/chilies/fishermans pie that can then just be reheated would really help those families that are low income but low on time too, which many are.

Long term doesn’t matter as long as no one goes to bed hungry today. Money probably go further if donated to food banks but if it helps someone that’s all that matters

I don't know about misguided but, they're certainly doing it for the kudos. I'd bet real money hardly any of these incredibly generous offers are taken up.

Giving what they're "offering" through official channels will cost them a lot more than what they're actually giving and they wouldn't get all the SM likes.

It doesn't help in the long run, no, but in the immediate short term where people are struggling for that day, or a few days, then it really does help.

If someone has run out of food but gets money the following day, they wouldn't really be able to get a food bank, but a meal for that day would be very welcome.

There's no magic "we are going to help you" button that teachers, GPs etc can press to get support in place. Support is patchy and often relies too much on charities and NGOs. While short-term food won't solve the underlying problem, you're assuming a broken system can provide for people when it very obviously isn't doing that at the moment. If the systems in place to get help were as straightforward as someone flagging up that a family needed food, no one would be hungry. They are intentionally opaque so the government can get out of helping as many people as possible.

But there's an awful lot of people who won't get notice of running out money and being hungry

How long is the referral to a food bank taking? There's never anything fresh at the food bank I think.

I can't see the issue.

If you buy a hot drink for a homeless person, do you think that's causing a long term problem with data? When it's shit freezing, I prefer to just buy them the drink. I used to ask if they had info on shelters but they say yes.

I might have bought a few drinks for fakes. Does it matter? If some people who need help immediately get that help, the collateral damage here is...not much really.

@NotFabulousDarling

There's no magic "we are going to help you" button that teachers, GPs etc can press to get support in place. Support is patchy and often relies too much on charities and NGOs. While short-term food won't solve the underlying problem, you're assuming a broken system can provide for people when it very obviously isn't doing that at the moment. If the systems in place to get help were as straightforward as someone flagging up that a family needed food, no one would be hungry. They are intentionally opaque so the government can get out of helping as many people as possible.

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You said that much better than i did! 😂

There was a lady on the local Facebook page offering to make Christmas dinners for ‘old people who might be alone without a festive dinner’ but the pic she posted was of a few sausages in gravy, aunt bessies spuds and some tinned peas, I think some paxo on the side. People commenting ‘oh what a lovely thought’ ‘I wish there were more people like you!’ ‘You’re a treasure’ with her commenting ‘thanks everyone, just trying to do my bit!’

she was VERY put out she’d had no take up, at the horrible Christmas dinner, ranting about people being ungrateful at offers of help etc. So definitely done just for the arsepats.

@SmidgenofaPigeon

There was a lady on the local Facebook page offering to make Christmas dinners for ‘old people who might be alone without a festive dinner’ but the pic she posted was of a few sausages in gravy, aunt bessies spuds and some tinned peas, I think some paxo on the side. People commenting ‘oh what a lovely thought’ ‘I wish there were more people like you!’ ‘You’re a treasure’ with her commenting ‘thanks everyone, just trying to do my bit!’

she was VERY put out she’d had no take up, at the horrible Christmas dinner, ranting about people being ungrateful at offers of help etc. So definitely done just for the arsepats.

I don't have Facebook so I don't see this kind of thing.

But the OP is talking about people actually cooking and delivering food which is real action, even if they do want praise.

There was a woman on my local
Facebook page giving away 8 food parcels I though it was nice of her but then yesterday the same woman was posting saying she has 5 kids and no money and can anyone help 🤔

But the OP is talking about people actually cooking and delivering food which is real action, even if they do want praise.

Is she? They can't deliver it until they know where to and I guarantee they're getting very few requests. Not because people aren't in need, but because even needy people have too much pride to approach a stranger on FB.

I agree OP, it should be donated to food banks and other charities.

The people donating could then point anyone in the FB group towards these facilities.

My local FB group was a lot like this during the first lockdown. Lots of posts saying they'd leave boxes of pasta/tinned foods/toilet rolls etc outside their house if anyone needed it.

I just assumed the stupid panic buyers realised the error of their ways.

You know, this is the kind of thing I'd offer if there was a way of doing in anonymously - like prepping a bunch of packed lunches or some leftovers that just need heating up before eating and whether that's leaving it at the food bank or school or going through another 3rd party.

But I can't imagine anything worse than doing it on FB - it's the same people who offer and it just seems that it's all for validation. But then, I feel the same about people who declare they are not sending cards for Christmas and instead have donated £ to some charity or other.

It's like people can't do anything for charity or something nice for a stranger without telling everyone about and get likes and "what a lovely thing to do hun" comments on social media.

(Im not uncharitable at all, just my charitable donations / activities are my own business and no one else's).

Locally to me we have a community pantry - a no questions asked, take what you need, leave what you can place that also collects just out of date or short dated food from supermarkets etc. They do have a link with the food bank and have done a lot of work of breaking the atmosphere of shame around using the food bank. But apparently a lot of the people using it just need a little help to make things stretch further - people who in normal times maybe have dinner with grandma a couple of times a week, who get a lift to Lidl/Aldi (we are in a very small town, so discount shops are 7 miles away), or are down the income from a part time hospitality/cleaning/hairdressing job due to furlough and homeschooling/ no childcare from family.
I'd rather a few people took advantage than anyone went hungry tbh

The intentions are good but like most charity it's going to work better if it's coordinated properly. There must be a lot of waste with this.

@LunaHeather

But there's an awful lot of people who won't get notice of running out money and being hungry

How long is the referral to a food bank taking? There's never anything fresh at the food bank I think.

I can't see the issue.

If you buy a hot drink for a homeless person, do you think that's causing a long term problem with data? When it's shit freezing, I prefer to just buy them the drink. I used to ask if they had info on shelters but they say yes.

I might have bought a few drinks for fakes. Does it matter? If some people who need help immediately get that help, the collateral damage here is...not much really.

I think buying a hot drink for a homeless person isn't actually helpful. Better to donate that £2 to the shelter imo

Yes I agree with our local food bank operates with a referral required so the refer can help the client out of food poverty.

My local community has a village food pantry which is free and open to all. It's supported by a local supermarket that provides it with unsold BBE bread and fresh vegetables which would otherwise be discarded.

Would you really rather that all went in the bin? The local foodbank won't accept that sort of donation.

I'd be concerned about waste, which of food to me is criminal. Good intentions, but better to support a food bank or homeless charity.

I think it’s mainly done for kudos, this sort of thing. I run a food bank. There’s a lot that goes into doing it properly, from food hygiene to data protection to cold chain procedures to following up gently with recipients to ask about other needs etc. I’d rather people put their energies into promoting us to people who may not be on social media or may not speak English at all. That’s the hard part.

OP "Better to donate that £2 to the shelter imo"

But having seen first hand the money that gets wasted in large charities, I am not keen to donate to those.

There is a local day centre, or there was, who would take toiletries and things, I do that too. I won't comment on Shelter specifically but large charities don't fill me with confidence.

@LunaHeather

OP "Better to donate that £2 to the shelter imo"

But having seen first hand the money that gets wasted in large charities, I am not keen to donate to those.

There is a local day centre, or there was, who would take toiletries and things, I do that too. I won't comment on Shelter specifically but large charities don't fill me with confidence.

I understand the concern. It in my mind, the money is helping those teams help the people off the street permanently.

Rather than making me feel better and not really helping. You could argue that the £2 on a drink/sandwich would free up their personal money to buy a bed for the night. However there's no guarantee,and all that buying a coffee does is make you feel good about yourself. In my opinion.
I'd rather help the intervention teams.

But that's me.

@LunaHeather

OP "Better to donate that £2 to the shelter imo"

But having seen first hand the money that gets wasted in large charities, I am not keen to donate to those.

There is a local day centre, or there was, who would take toiletries and things, I do that too. I won't comment on Shelter specifically but large charities don't fill me with confidence.

I donate by using the local community café. It's a pay what you want model Money raised runs the night shelter above the café.

Works for me. Happy to be "proven" wrong and know of a better way 😊

The food hygiene side is a worry, anyone eating that food could accuse the donator of giving them food poisoning and then the council would be investigating where the food was prepared etc... not worth the risk