What will be the answer when foodbanks start running out of stock

[ItisallPooh]

I know more and more people are having to utilise food banks. In our area, a huge employer shut its doors last month for the last time, many families had mum, dad and sometimes even grandparents working there. I personally know quite a few families really worried about affording everything.
Whilst I was doing my weekly shop, it occurred to me that it has been ages since I put more than one item into the food bank trolley. To be honest, there are times I have struggled to even put one thing in. Costs are rising so much, our two income public sector incomes are not stretching far at all.
I noticed that the food bank trolley used to be piled high. It never is nowadays. And more and more people are having to rely on them. What happens to the people who are struggling when even the food banks start running low on stock?
I keep thinking about it all evening. Our family are doing ok, not brilliantly but we are coping but I remember growing up being hungry and knowing that I couldn't ask mum for something to eat because she had no money left. We were living off benefits as she was undergoing cancer treatment, we had left my dad and our business as he was abusive. Our situation did eventually improve but it haunts me. I hate the thought that there will be families in exactly that situation with the added issue of heating and electricity costing a fortune too.
Food banks are wonderful but working families SHOULDNT have to be accessing them. Their wages should cover it. What a state this country is in. What is going to happen when even the food banks are struggling to help people because other folk can no longer afford to put stuff into them.

Generally foodbanks stock is bought in as local food donations aren't nearly enough to sustain them - so they also have to sustain them.

My local foodbank supported 157 people last week. This year's total is 30% higher than last year. The truly frightening thing is you can see a sharp increase when price rises come into effect.

Feeding these people takes immense effort and even with money to pay for it because of supply issues food is becoming difficult to source.

Seriously? Is it nice there on your high horse? People are starving, going with out essentials such as heat. And not for the fun of it or because they think it's someone else's responsibility to feed them. You think if it was as simple as earn more money people wouldn't just do that? Comments like this really show that money doesn't solve stupidity either.

Government needs to raise the minimum wage. I know it won't solve all problems but would make life just a bit easier for many. My son's employer has just decided to give all employees a free meal in staff canteen in November and December. It will make a difference to some. More employers could be doing this.

@Hawkins001, you don't want to believe everything on the internet. That thread was pure shite. That's why it's been deleted.

Part of me hopes the foodbanks do become unable to stop supporting people and so proper solutions can be found.

I have no faith the government will do anything and I certainly don't want anyone to starve.

But I always feel like we're enabling government inaction by donating, and perhaps it would be for the greater good if foodbanks became obsolete.

Most parents will go hungry themselves so the children are fed . After that who knows

Whether it’s taking on some evening work, or taking in ironing.

'Ironing' does some seriously heavy lifting on MN. I haven't known a single person for about 20 years who sends out ironing. And even then, they sent to to dry cleaners, not some rando neighbour. Most people don't iron, or they do their own. Considering the cost of fuel I'd imagine some of the people currently sending it out will rethink learning.

And when everyone is doing these second jobs, who's looking after their kids? Let me guess, in some Dickensian fantasy, their mums, grans, neighbours and friends will. Even though they'll all be working too, because of the... cost of living. Or their husbands, ignoring that many of the poorest are single mums.

I genuinely feel that the Tories look at the US, with it's grinding poverty, millions of homeless people, bankruptcies because of healthcare, women's rights moving backwards, polarised politics, terrible maternal and infant mortality, race, sex and class inequality, low literacy and horrifying social issues including gun deaths and incarceration rates and they think, "brilliant, how quickly can we turn the UK into that?"

The answer appears to be, "really quickly".

Agree with everything you’ve said MrsTerryPratchett
of course it’s very possible that food banks run out as food costs and need for them rise exponentially. Then the government will have to act or have families in the UK, in 2022, starving to death.
These twelve years of Tory rule have really worked well for people on low incomes haven’t they, that foodbanks are this needed, and people are this reliant on them and worried sick about how to feed their families?

Yes, they started with the best of intentions, but the government now use them as part of the welfare state, and an excuse not to pay sufficient benefits/top ups.

Making sure people are getting enough to support to feed themselves is really the job of governments, not charities.

I don't know what the answer is though.

True. It could also be seen as a stealth tax on those, who donate.

Anyway, thank you for starting the thread op. It has given me the impetus to donate. It is something I mean to do then forget as my memory is shot these days.

True. It could also be seen as a stealth tax on those, who donate.

I'd LOVE to know the political demographics of who donates.

@Hawkins001 I didn't doubt you'd read it on here, I'm questioning why you would take it as fact and repeat it on a thread about diminishing food-bank stocks. By adding it to the discussion you're inferring that the shortages are caused by people misusing them and wasting resources based on ONE post you've read on the internet.

That poster claimed to have taken the disposed of foods - cleaned the tins, checked the BB dates then returned them to the food-bank; does that seem likely to you?

I've no doubt some do misuse FB's, I've no doubt some people waste what they're given, such is human nature - but for the vast majority they're a lifeline and are used as a very last resort. Shortages are a consequence of government decisions - simple, make no mistake all of this is a deliberate government choice. Quit joining threads about hardship to express your disappointment that people just aren't doing poverty properly, it's crass af.

Like I said, a tiny bit of critical thinking would stop you looking ignorant...mebbes.

And if you don't have family or friends? Plus it will be highly embarrassing to have to putting out a begging bowl.

if they started running out of food in my area those of us who can will just give more. I don’t donate much to food banks at the moment, ours are usually full and I donate to other charities, but if they were really running out meaning children were going hungry in my village we could afford to give a decent amount and would.

@Hawkins001 I've rdported your post to save you from extreme embarassment and shamexwhen you sober up andcre read what you were posting last night.

That's a good reminder OP, I have been meaning to set a monthly donation up as I do my shopping online. I have been procrastinating and have now got on with it. Thank you.

@Zebedee55
Making sure people are getting enough to support to feed themselves is really the job of governments, not charities.

Actually, making sure people are getting enough to support themselves is really the job...of people themselves. Government is there for a safety net for those who cannot. Charities are there to support specific groups/causes.

I’m remembering the Hartlepool by-election and a voter saying he was voting Tory because they’d provided Hartlepool with lots of food banks and Labour hadn’t provided any. Like that was a good thing. Food banks shouldn’t exist. The government should be ensuring all its citizens are fed, it shouldn’t be the responsibility of charity.

It's really sad. This country has gone to shit. And it’s only going to get worse.

their way of coping (short term) will probably be to go on the rob

I work for Boots and baby formula has moved to eat the top.of most stolen products recently so it is happening (historically it has been expensive but small products like razor blades which are easy to steal and sell on)

One person doing this means EVERYONE who uses them must be doing this and is undeserving. Hmm.

Similar to my mother who said that she wouldn't give to food banks as they 'all prioritise money for fags'. I asked her if that included the starving kids that get fed through food banks......🤔

I'm sure there might be some people who might use FBs as means to afford other things and to cut food bill down, but this is probably really rare. It is a hassle people don't want and you don't really have a huge amount of choice in what you get.

I think people say this sort of thing to make themselves feel better about not being charitiable and because it is easier mentally and emotionally to have the belief that people put themselves in these positions and it isn't sometime circumstances beyond their control. It is harder to acknowledge inequality and that you might come from a more privileged position, as you have to face the fact you haven't got to where you are all through hard work, sometimes it is also luck and starting from a more privileged position.

You’re wrong. It’s the responsibility of governments to make sure that the levels of minimum wages and benefits are sufficiently high that people can feed themselves. That should be a basic human right.

Let's see how many children starve? Let's see?

What the actual fuck is wrong with you?

The thing is, they are also there to manage the economy and they have done a very poor job of it (as have other countries). All this has been a long time coming since the last crash (I won't get into why here as it will be a very, very long post and it is too early in the morning).

Their job as a government is to do what they said they would do when they were elected. They haven't. They have done the opposite really. They have made conditions in the UK so bad that people who work cannot thrive and have to rely on this help. They refuse to tax the very wealthy and have enabled zero hours contracts and poor wage growth, so people do not have enough income to be independent. We cannot all be a nation of doctors and solicitors. Those who work should have enough to survive.

I get what you are saying in that people need to be self reliant, but many of the conditions out there contributing to this crisis is beyond the control of the average person. All they can do is go to work and cut their costs and that is what people are doing now and it isn't enough.

Can I just ask what you contribute to society Whatnow11? That post sounds like it is coming from a 30 year old virgin who never leaves his bedroom.

Calm down.

The only other option would be stealing if you are that broke and have no other options, and I'm sure you would have an issue with that too.

Food banks are saying they are low on stocks - donations have dropped slightly as most families have less spare cash, demand has increased significantly.

You are lying to yourself if you think there is not a serious issue coming.