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 the school I used to work at most of us brought in food for a local food bank and just put up one Xmas card to all colleagues instead of sending all individual ones.

I think you have very mean colleagues. If they can't be bothered to buy food items they could just donate cash.

I’ve just donated toys, selection boxes and treats to our local women’s refuge.
I wouldn’t donate to a food bank in an office or anywhere.

It's fair enough if people cannot or don't want to donate, but the shitty comments are unnecessary.

Its heart breaking isn't it.

I did a food bank collection one Christmas in an office with 320 people. 2wks in there was a few tins but nothing much. I went out and spent £50 on Christmassy things, like selection boxes etc and drip fed a few in every day to try and encourage people. I was supposed to empty it every few days but I worked from home a couple of days and when I returned all the selection boxes had gone, someone had helped themselves!

When I was a kid, we weren't well off but there were those who were a lot worse off. My mum always found a few tins and bits and pieces to donate to harvest festival (the stuff was distributed to those in need by the church) and my family weren't particularly religious.

I don't organise stuff like that anymore - I donate directly to my local food bank.

Branded is a “treat” is for a huge number of people, to be honest Even the comment about a treat would piss me off. I don’t want to be judged by my giving. I would donate what is good enough for me and my family.

You seem determined to think the worst of your colleagues.

Whose Christmas is seriously going to be made better by some cheap Iceland biscuits?

Seriously, it is not worth making a fuss over with your colleagues.

Well done OP you sound like a lovely person, ignore the nasty comments

Its selfish if they can afford a takeaway lunch a tin of beans is about 30p in Tesco. Why not donate that.

I think we’ve probably got to the bottom of the issues.

It’s laughable (but also very irritating) that a 23 year old living at home, and without the responsibilities of running a household and keeping a roof over others heads etc is having an opinion on how much people should donate to charity, and how they spend their money.

The branded request is also rude. There are many people who don’t need to use foodbank, but still can’t really afford branded items.

I hope this thread has encouraged you to step back a bit, and be a bit less tone deaf.

Also, if she had donated it direct to the food bank she could have gift aided it.

Where do you live that has numerous homeless families with small children? They are priority housed here, and there are no families here that are homeless (as in, on the streets) and I'm in a large city.

(I work in this sector so, yes I know how many).

Who's to say those buying food for lunch aren't having that as their main meal & a 25p can of beans for tea. What's a meal deal? £3.50? Plus beans and a couple of slices of bread so say 50p and 50p for 2 weetabix and a splash of milk bringing their total food expenditure to £4.50 per day. So paying £1 upwards for a branded pack of biscuits would be viewed as out of budget.

I think the term "homeless" in this context is meant to pull at our heartstrings. Families with young children may not have a permanent home but they'll be given a roof... young DC don't actually sleep on the streets. They'll be in temp accommodation at least

I think to steal those selection boxes was a disgusting thing to do especially as they were going to be given to children with very little .There are some downright nasty people about

How sad. This used to be a compassionate country.

If you want to donate, donate
Why the need to make a big show of it, and bullying/shaming/pushing others into supporting a cause of your choosing.

Yes, this.

Honestly I do think you have took it personally ..

I can list the things that annoy me and I don’t work there.

it is done by marketing dept so from the start marketing .

branded - photo opportunities - however I don’t buy branded as a treat I just don’t buy them.

I don’t like been told what charity to support .

i think you see it as personal, it’s not . People have different value . I don’t volunteer for anything , I have enough keeping my head above water water . I don’t think I have the toughest life but I don’t feel I have to prove I care about everyone by taking some branded beans into work .

lastly the fact that you have spent £90 on a donation I find insane - lovely but over the top yes

I'm not sure what's caused this, but there's been a big shift to the right wing in terms of people's thinking.

I don't know if it's austerity, cost of living or something else, but a lot of people are under financial pressure.

Instead of bringing out the generosity I think it's started to become a feeling of helplessness in the face of overwhelming infinite need.

My sense is people have lost all hope of being able to make a difference. That's led them to "othering" poor people so that they regain their sense of security. Hence the assumption that everyone in need is to blame for their own lot.

The right wing media doesn't help, perpetuating stories of benefit cheats with turkey teeth, fake boobs etc. But to be fair, there are plenty of shameless people in the world that get a bad name for everyone.

Also charities have turned into aggressive begging engines, chugging, knocking on doors, and I think they've turned everyone off. It also doesn't help when you get stories in the media about corrupt and fake charities like that dreadful Captain Tom family.

So sll in all, I wouldn't take it to heart. Most people aren't deep thinkers and don't question their reactions.

I think the issue here is that a lot of people have become jaded about food bank use.

I know it sounds so stereotypical but my local one always has a queue of the same people outside it every single week. Always the same people with their massive shopping bags.
And I hate to say it but they all also have freshly highlighted hair, acrylic nails, eyelash extentions and very obvious head to toe labels on.

I grew up on the estate many if those families came from and I know for a face they could afford the shopping if they wanted to. But they don't. They'd rather use the food bank so they have money left for their 'treatments' as they call them. And yes I have spoken to some and been plainly told this is why they use it.

So no. I don't donate to that one. I send my donation somewhere I know what and who it's being used for instead. Maybe your colleagues feel the same way about food bank donations now

That really is bad

It’s not mandatory to donate. It’s not your decision as to how other people spend their cash

I work at a food bank. Usually we give a food parcel that is a general package to see them through for a few days/week. At Christmas many churches and local businesses donate “treats “ , mince pies, Christmas puddings, chocolate, chutney etc. seeing the smile this puts on people’s faces is heartwarming. A lot of our clients are DV victims, terribly unwell, mental health, just had a shit time. So thank you OP for trying to help. A small donation means such a lot to some people. Thanks for trying

OP, thank you for your good heart.Its encouraging to see a young person who is not yet cynical and honestly wants to help.
'Virtue signaling' is a bit of an empty phrase.Please don't change!
An item for Christmas item is not a lot to give but if everyone contributes a few people will get something to help them out and to enjoy in a bleak time. Years ago as a young widowed mum of 3 my family was given a bag of Christmas goodies several years running, from local churches. The children weren't going without but it was a very hard time for us and we did appreciate it.
I appreciate that money is tight and people may very well be contributing regularly to charities. Please stop getting at the OP she sent one email and has had her efforts reviled by colleagues...it's mean!

Merry Christmas everyone, whatever your circumstances.