To be really pissed off about my office's attitude towards our food bank donation

[LookingForAHandHold]

Every year we run an office collection for a local food bank. This year we're doing one for families with nothing and young children.

So far im the only one who has really donated. I understand times are tough, but it's £1 for a pack of biscuits in Iceland.

People are making horrible comments too, about the branded names etc and the ungrateful brats who don't deserve it. It's for young children. It just breaks my heart.

I'm so close to taking it all home and donating it myself

In my area the food bank thing seems to be abused , ppl in fancy trainers, & other branded sportswear , vaping or smoking.
Ppl kick off for not getting Kelloggs and refusing store own brand food.
I don't smoke / vape ( I drink very occasionally ) my trainers don't cost £150+. Doesn't make me want to add a donation if I'm honest. In town yesterday one of that homeless guys (part of a group street drinking their stolen slab of Fosters) was wearing Versace trainers.
I might sound like a snob to some ppl , but honesty I couldn't care less.

No one should feel pressured or obligated to donate no matter what the charity is, or how much they spend on their lunches or how much you have put in, or any reason that is frankly non of your business!

Rightly or wrongly maybe people haven’t responded well to a relatively new member of staff, who is only 23 years old living with their parents, to be the one picking the charity and encouraging others to donate.

Remember OP, some of your colleagues that you are judging for not donating, may be the people that use the charity.

That is statistically false. On a global level, and within the UK.

Have I misunderstood or do some food banks really only accept branded products only ? And if so, why is that ?

What do you mean you're all supposed to donate. Isnt it voluntary?

Their poster asks for name brands if possible, of things like chocolate or biscuits

People choose their own charities to donate to. Or some might not be able to afford it. I was a single parent with 2 children when working and it annoyed me when sponsor forms kept coming back to my desk because I hadn’t added my name to the form. My children were my priority and charity began at home

I remember in my early 20s we did a charity cake stall at work. Everything was 50p and there was someone who I worked with who refused to buy one I tried to put the pressure on a little bit and he said 'look I have mortgage to pay and can't afford' I remember thinking he was so stingy and mean.

Anyway a couple of weeks later he comes into the office after a couple of days off and collapses. He had so little money after his bills he couldn't afford food, and so was living off free snacks hanging around the office and sugary cups of tea also provided by work. In his days off he'd had nothing but water.

I never pressured or judged anyone for not giving to charity again.

You don't know anyone's personal financial situation but your own. You don't know what they donate or who they help in their personal lives. You won't know all of their personal views and reasons for not giving to that particular charity. You don't know whether they have the time/energy to buy something for the food bank.

You are right to not like their comments but wrong to judge them so harshly for not donating.

See this would irk me. I don't buy brands at home so I wouldn't buy brands to donate. I don't think it's a good use of money.

Well we're all supposed to donate, I've taken charge because everyone else ignores it

Well they’ve haven’t ignored it in the previous successful years have they?

Not donating, a choice that should be accepted. Making nasty comments, not so.

Those colleagues who voted Tory in the elections recently, especially in 2010 and 2015, or who did not vote, have contributed to the growth of food banks.

Please, @Fluufer— show us your statistics.

OP, I’ve read your updates and, yes, your age is relevant. When I was 23 I couldn’t bear to see anyone struggling and gave money and food to the point that I went without. It’s what makes you a good person, to sympathise and have compassion and empathy. As you get older, you gain more life experiences and, yes, become more cynical, doesn’t make you a bad person. Choose carefully when donating and you do you and ignore what others do. X

They called them ungrateful and undeserving brats did they aye?

The comments about undeserving brats are vile and I'd be so shocked to hear that. It would make me not want to work in the environment. Even if they don't want to donate, their morals are obviously in the gutter. Even if it is just said in jest for offic culture banter or whatever, it's just vile.

The local food bank near me is asking for things that are around 60/80p... custard powder, tinned mackerel, jelly, biscuits etc. if your colleagues are working, they can absolutely spare 80p. I'd just keep donating yourself or through the supermarket.

People will make excuses for them, but the foul comments about the recipients - children ffs - tell you everything you need to know about these people. I can't imagine it's a very pleasant working culture with those attitudes. Ugh.

if your colleagues are working, they can absolutely spare 80p

You've never heard of the working poor?

Well I imagine that’s where the ‘ungrateful’ comments came from.

To be honest that would get my back up too and put me off donating if they are requesting brands…I can’t see the logical reason apart from that they cost more!

https://www.centreforcities.org/reader/donation-nation/the-charitable-giving-landscape-i-untapped-capacity/
Amongst other sources of course

I wouldn't donate to a food bank that asked for branded items OP. If people don't want supermarket brands - which are often excellent and sometimes IMO even better than the brands - then they can't be really be in need can they?

I'd be one of the people who would be pissy about that I'm afraid and it wouldn't surprise me if that is why you've had a very poor show.

It is a shame that some of your colleagues are vile enough to make disparaging comments about the beneficiaries of your collection.

But I also think that there is no obligation for anyone to contribute.

I choose to ignore any charity collection, fundraising sponsorship request or collection for leaving or birthday presents at work.

I prefer to support my chosen charities and I also don't have a lot of money to spare.

I think people also have charity fatigue because many people are struggling themselves and can't afford to support others.

Not to mention that many of the big charities seem to waste donations on CEO salaries,London offices and consultants (I work for a charity and have been in that sector for quite a while and I have become very cynical about it and I only support local charities).

Why the preference for name brands ? That's a complete piss take when most families are cutting back massively on their food shop.

It's a charity for homeless families. Possibly, some of OP's colleagues may use a food bank but I doubt that they are homeless.

But if they do use this charity, isn't it even worse that their colleagues are slagging off the users of this charity?

I think the name brand thing is a treat - like some kids get a box of coco pops for Christmas morning