To think food banks will struggle?

[rc22]

For the last few years, I've bought a couple of items for the foodbank every time I do a shop. With rising food and fuel costs, I'm thinking twice about whether I can afford to do this. I can at the moment but depending on how utility costs pan out that might change. If more people need foodbanks but fewer people can afford to contribute to them, will they struggle to stay afloat?

That's good to hear @Mrsjayy. I don't go to the various meetings with other banks, so I only really know how it works around here. And we grew out of, alongside a citywide organisation that focussed on the most deprived areas, the sink estates, we are the rural arm, so to speak.

with the amount of people on here saying they will buy secondhand etc I think foodbanks, secondhand shops etc will all struggle.

people wont be donating to food banks, there will be more pressure on buying the own brands at the supermarkets that'll probably push the prices of them up, reduced items will be less reduced as there will be a bigger audience for them.

there will be less secondhand products as everyone will be looking to get secondhand instead of buying new and the costs of them will go up too, supply and demand.

@Mrsjayy

Currently food banks are overflowing with food & actually quite a lot goes to waste.

We have very little food waste so no food banks are not overflowing and wasting a lot of food.

If they genuinely have more than they need they should be donating it via Olio or similar. I sincerely hope that they are not turning people away if they have a surplus.

Mind you, our local food bank refused to give people sugar because poor people shouldn't have sugar in their tea. They also only relented on chocolate advent calendars because local people kicked off in our local Facebook group. I think they'll accept them, and Easter eggs, now. But they were pious do-gooders a few years ago.

Our local food bank has been posting on social media this week that they have fewer than 20 items left on its shelves.

Although I do donate I note the boxes are not spilling over.The empty shelves thing will cause problems too.For example say tinned tomatoes as a staple if people need for their own family and only the expensive brands left what do they do?
I do remember years ago a woman was screwing up her nose at a tinned mackerel/sardine offering. Didn’t probably realise the nutritional value.

Our church foodbank put in a request for cleaning products (personal and household), rather than food.
I think some supermarkets donated unsold fresh produce and the charities were swamped with it.

The food bank in our area posted on Facebook this week with a list of items that they’re running desperately short of and stocks are at a five year low. They said that they’ve had to drastically cut down on the number of items in each parcel, and ones which would usually last for seven days will now only last for three.

I donate to FairShare via my Sainsbury's shop, it seems Sainsbury's have FS built into their supply and distribution chain.

It's a real worry how they will manage with the demand. (Not that there should ever be a demand for food banks)

Mind you, our local food bank refused to give people sugar because poor people shouldn't have sugar in their tea. They also only relented on chocolate advent calendars because local people kicked off in our local Facebook group. I think they'll accept them, and Easter eggs, now. But they were pious do-gooders a few years ago

Urgh how patronising " poor people shouldn't have.... "

I have irregular earnings and the tax year ends on Tuesday. This last year has been ok, so I have just sent some money to the local foodbank so they get the tax on it rather than the Government.

Personally i have had to use food banks myself i am severely disabled and homeless. Although tomorrow i get a flat so will have access to cooking facilities. I have tried to help and volunteer at various food banks and set ups and have seen all sides of this. But i think a lot of the food banks and schemes around here have a lot of waste or surplus food because unfortunately the people going to receive the food can not make use of it. For example fresh meat donations and fresh veg that needs cooking to consume when the people using he service have no cooking facilities at all. I was once handed a parcel which contained things like sausages, potatoes,bacon, butter, yoghurts, cheese, bread etc. Aswell as tins and packet things. I feel so extremely ungrateful on handing the items i couldn't cook back but the truth was i was in a b and b with only a kettle . Don't get me wrong i have got inventive with the cooking manouveres such as heating tins of soup on radiators etc. Lol but couldn't cook the raw meat etc. I did explain that i thought it was a lovely package and i was very humbled to be given it. I think a lot of the supermarkets donating the fresh things to pass their waste problems on was part of the cause of this. Thankyou to all you foodbankers workers, donators, supporters x

Good luck with the move @andysgirl22, how wonderful!

A good food bank should be able to deal pragmatically with people's circumstances, from intolerances to cooking facilities etc, rather than handing out particular food to people who can't use it.

This is an interesting point, I would have thought cash donations would go up though as they're more obviously in need which presumably are more helpful as food can then be bought in bulk?

@TheWayTheLightFalls

@TheWayTheLightFalls@Isonthecase

I don't think it is only food banks that will struggle, but many smaller charities will have less donations.

It is a national shame that they even need to exist.

I've noticed the bin at the supermarket isn't as full as usual.

Our office collection has also temporarily moved from a local food bank to items for supporting Ukrainian refugees, I think that has taken priority in people minds for the moment. The thing is, people don't stop being hungry because there are others in need, or because life is getting more expensive. I don't know what the solution is, it's just shit.

On a personal level, I'm trying to cut back in other ways but I can see it getting to a point where I'm not able to give much.

Which food banks are overflowing with food fgs? How will food bank food go to waste, it is canned, bottled, packet food! We are all facing huge rises in energy bills - my standing order has risen from £40 pm to £130 pm, it’s only low because I never put my radiators on and am in an energy efficient house. How do the poorer families cope with increased energy bills, by reducing their food spend? Food banks are not open doors, most need a referral from social services, health visitor, GP etc, yet so many think that they’re just used like a free Co-op. When we get into next autumn/winter, when charges go up again, that’s when the faeces will definitely hit the fan. Pensioners will die of hyperthermia, with just a tin of beans in their cupboard, too proud to seek help or food bank food. Yet ill informed contributors say that food banks are bursting at the seams!

ut i think a lot of the food banks and schemes around here have a lot of waste or surplus food because unfortunately the people going to receive the food can not make use of it. For example fresh meat donations and fresh veg that needs cooking to consume when the people using he service have no cooking facilities at all. I was once handed a parcel which contained things like sausages, potatoes,bacon, butter, yoghurts, cheese, bread etc. Aswell as tins and packet things. I feel so extremely ungrateful on handing the items i couldn't cook back but the truth was i was in a b and b with only a kettle .

Don't feel bad. That should have prompted further questions and offers of other items, if they had them.

We don't offer everyone fresh goods. We know that many don't have access to cookers, ovens etc and are relying on microwaves or those Ninja food thingies - we scavenge them from local charity shops, get them PAT tested and hand them out too! At worst I have taken a woman shopping for prepacked sandwiches, pasties etc. She had absolutely nothing, was effectively living in a cupboard for 4 days (waiting for keys to a flat that wasn't finished on time).

Sadly some of our clients are too embarrassed to say anything, but we do our best to be so matter of fact about it that most are OK speaking up.

Sadly we have lots of experience