To ask how long you think food banks should support people for?

[tartanbaker]

I help to run an independent food bank, & we currently support over 100 families. We are nearing our capacity (in terms of numbers we can help) due to limited storage etc, but there are new people applying all the time. We give people food every week, and some families have been registered with us for about 2 years now. They are still needy, and we all know that things are going to continue being tough for the foreseeable future, so my question is…if you were to donate to a food bank, how would you want them to use your food/money? Continuing to help everyone for as long as they ask for help, even though it might mean turning others away? Or telling existing families who rely on you that you can’t help them any more because you are going to help new people now? It’s so hard, and an ongoing debate we are having, and I’d be really interested to hear other people’s opinions. Both options seem really tough….

Wow. Just that really.

Are people referred to the food bank, or do they self refer?

Can you just share out what there is between the number of people that need help?

What a horrible dilemma. The government should be ashamed.

Do you know the circumstances of the families that have been coming for 2 years? There must be a reason they need long term help.

as long as they needed help

Oops sorry, I didn’t know I’d got voting, but now I have…
YABU is to help people for as long as they ask you for help
YANBU is to stop helping long-term clients to be able to help others

My instinct is as long as they need it but I really feel for you with having to deny new applications, there’s no easy answer.

Do families have a criteria to meet to be considered for help?

Is it self referral?

There's a lot of variables in each person's situation and I don't think one answer fits all.

There's no good decision for you here. Both options are completely shit.

I am sorry people are in this position, and can't believe it has come to this.

Yes, we work with them to identify their main issues and try to ‘signpost’ them in to other agencies who can help.
People can self-refer or be referred by official agencies

God, that’s a real ethical dilemma. When foodbanks started, they were meant to be an emergency measure, and not for families going every week for two years. My gut feeling is that there needs to be something that breaks the cycle. Five years ago, I’d have suggested that was helping people to budget or learn how to cook on a budget. But now it’s all so shit, that it’s probably gone past that stage.

Best option would be to get more food in (even excess stock from Greggs etc) and just give everyone less.

What a dreadful position to be in. Some hard choices ahead.

I’d like to sign in because I am in exactly the same position - I run an independent food bank and we have the same situation. On the one hand I’m glad that we don’t follow the “three parcels a year” model and we help whoever needs help, but I also don’t feel that food banks are the correct response to chronic/ongoing need - it needs a structural solution imo.

I volunteer with a Foodbank.

recipients are referred by social workers or similar and can only have so many a year. It’s meant to be for emergencies not a lifestyle choice.

that May well Change with the cost of living crisis

Thank you everyone - we open 5 times a week and on each day we collect excess food from local supermarkets, but we also spend money buying each client fresh protein, fruit & veg that they have chosen from a list…

Continuing to help everyone for as long as they ask for help, even though it might mean turning others away? Or telling existing families who rely on you that you can’t help them any more because you are going to help new people now?

I don't understand how this is even a debate.

If they still fit the criteria then they're in just as much need now as they were 2 years ago.

If you can't help newcomers because you're full, then that's that and it's also something that's not likely to change any time soon.

You could do both. The referral has a time limit but after that they can be re- referred. The most in need are selected from the applicants? Signposting to other help starting as soon as possible.

Can you link in with any other services/çharitie to try to improve the financial situation for those households in long term need? Things like Citizens Advice Bureau or other services to ensure that families are claiming all benefits they are entitled to. Work around budgeting/financial management. Links to job centre/DWP for steps into employment/training?

I'm aware this will sound completely heartless but the problem with allowing the usage of the food bank to go on for as long as two years means that the family have built up a reliance on the food bank which is going to be hard to break.

I've worked for various charities and when families were referred for hardship payments or food bank vouchers we could not do more than three in a twelve month period. This was to stop a reliance building up, obviously at the same time help would be given with regards to ensuring all relevant benefits were in place etc.

This is so hard. If people are still in need then I think it needs to be first come first served. I don't know if means testing is possible but then what is the criteria and would this even be fair if everyone is in need. Children, elderly and disabled first? Unemployed? 12 weeks then reapply and rejoin at the bottom of list? I genuinely don't know if there's a right answer where this is concerned, everyone needs to eat and most people don't access food banks lightly.

I word in a supermarket and we're already donating ambient food that's appropriate (some has to be wasted) as well as collecting publically for the local food and pet banks. I doubt it's enough for even a few days turnover a month and will only get worse with everything ongoing.

Do you have a debt advisor and benefits advice service too?

Locally a few people surf round them all and sell the food for drugs. As most volunteers only work with one group this was not known about until lockdown when people started working together.
They feed people at one church based group which I think is a lovely thing to do. Actually provide a hot dinner and a pudding. Always after volunteer washer-uppers.
They started collecting bric a brack for setting up home before lockdown.

Yes, we already do this, with multiple agencies, but it’s not a quick fix if you have debt, or drug or alcohol problems, so those people will then still be needy for some time…

Given the cost of living crisis I don't see how you could possibly stop helping existing clients but it's a horrible dilemma.

Please don't turn away new referrals. I understand its a really awful position for you to be in but they need support.

This is going to sound quite harsh...

Maybe existing users of your service should have to re-register/be newly referred every year.
They'd also have to go to the back of the queue if you have too many clients.

At least it gives the newly needy a chance.

I did say it would sound harsh.

...and before anyone jumps on me, we're on a limited budget ourselves, but add to the foodbank collection point regularly.

Came on to say food banks shouldn’t support people at all, because food banks shouldn’t have to fucking exist!

Agree that the government should be ashamed and busting a gut to remove this situation.

But yeah, agree with the post I’ve quoted.

And yes, I worry about having created a dependency with some clients. It’s sooooo hard! One of our trustees is a benefits expert, so we can help on that, but I just can’t help feeling that some people will never get their heads above water, no matter what we do…