Food banks

[Tiredboymum22]

When is it acceptable to use a food bank?

Is it only when you have no money left for food or when you need to cover other household costs?

Does anything go to waste or is it all used up by families in need?

Our utility bills have gone up. We have a load of rubbish in the garden that needs collecting but I have no car. It’s also overrun with weeds and brambles and I thought I’d have time to do it but I have a toddler and child with additional needs, and no village!

I want to pay someone to collect the bins and sort the garden out so the kids can play in the summer, but I’m on a tight budget and I’m worried it’ll cut into our food budget.

We were on a thread together very recently when she mentioned him.

Weird how she's written the OP as though she's a single mother.

I think you are missing the point.

If you are one of the best dressed men I’ve ever seen, and have a 60k car, you have other options before you take food out of the mouths of real people in need.

I saw many cases of FB abuse and I now don’t donate to them. Many people take the piss. Where I worked they had a no judgement policy, which obviously I couldn’t get on board with.

Instead of thinking of a food back (although use one if you qualify by all means) could you be really sensible about waste over the coming month? So not just food waste but waste in general and then put a little bit of the garden waste into the appropriate bin each week until it's gone? If there are bigger items then ask a neighbour or relatives to support?

You could maybe dispose some of your rubbish in your bin. If you recycle everything you can you'll possibly have lots of room in your book black bin. We didn't always recycle soft plastic and food waste but we do now and it's surprising how little goes in our big bin for collection. It's a nice feeling that it's getting recycled. Anyway then you could break things up and put them in your big bin. If you did half an hour a day in your garden you'd soon start to make progress.

Olio app and too good to go app are both good for cheap food. Good luck.

You didn’t. I did.

You haven't witnessed a crime, have you? You've witnessed people donating to a foodbank. But because of your ageism and sexism your takeaway from that is that the older women are somehow at fault for stating they want to help children. I'm sure people reliant on foodbanks would rather have people donating and announcing it than watching and sneering at them for it.

What on earth have we become as a society when we can’t even set up something that’s kind without it causing on the one hand piss-taking and on the other hand some sort of resentment.

@SandyHappy

See also your earlier post: I think it is pretty shocking to pay someone to do chores around the garden, which you and your husband could do yourselves

Where are you magicking up this husband from? The OP doesn't mention one, or a partner. Maybe just possibly she's a single parent??? (She may have one but she hasn't introduced him to this thread.)

Are you disabled?

Why can’t you sort the garden out yourself and why does it need to be this week?

Just chip away at it a bit at a time.

You need to learn how to budget.
If things are tight this month, then you should not pay for a gardener or rubbish collection and wait until the following month and save up.

If you can afford a gardener then you do not need to use a food bank.

However, if you have overspent already then use the food bank this month and then just donate food to it next month.

60s isn’t old. Most people I know in their 60s are working their arses off in demanding jobs.

Ageism is a very ugly trait.

Please read the thread.

The OP is NOT a new poster and has often mentioned her husband.

No-one has magicked him up.

I also issue them, and we do.

Yeah but you would expect it to go to someone who needs it, rather than someone who decided to rinse the food money on something unnecessary because she thought she could just use the food bank.

I'm currently homeless with my DH and kids, the day we moved to our Travelodge (three and a half weeks ago) the council gave us a £90 Morrison's voucher from the nearest towns food bank which was really helpful because I could choose stuff my kids actually like and will eat. We were really grateful, but it obviously didn't last us very long.

We only have a kettle so eating is tough (and expensive!) especially for my eldest son who has ASD.
we're on our skint week this week and my gp social prescriber told me to ring the food bank and they'd make up a package for us, I haven't yet but it's nice to know we have that as a back-up if we run out completely.
Although I have to say we're sick to death of bread, cup-a-soups, instant noodle and pasta pots and porridge! I'm normally very positive but I'm having a very down day today so hopefully I don't sound too "woe is me".

It sounds like it will really improve your life getting the garden sorted for your kids so I'd say do it, I dont think you'll be taking food out of other people's mouths.

She's talked about him on many other threads she's been on.

She also says OUR utility bills, and WE have rubbish in the garden, yet say I don't have a car (I'm assuming the husband does).

Or is there a service you could offer as a "swap" OP?

What is the criteria and eligibility for food bank vouchers?
I think if there aren't any checks done many people would be shocked as they would want those in most need helped?

Our local Facebook freebay group occasionally has people offering to clear the gardens of people who are struggling, for free. Worth trying?

She's talked about him on many other threads she's been on.
She also says OUR utility bills, and WE have rubbish in the garden, yet say I don't have a car (I'm assuming the husband does).

OK I stand corrected. He wasn't mentioned on this thread and I didn't recognise the poster. The 'our' and 'we' I took to be the family, her and the DCs.

Could your mum or mil help you out @Tiredboymum22 ?

I issue them every day (debt advisor), and we do indeed look into people's finances. This is purely so we can make sure that the help goes to those most in need. There are a lot of deprived areas in the town I work in, and the demand on the foodbanks is extremely high.

If we just did referrals for everyone who asks for them, with no checks, the supply would soon run out. Plus - by checking their finances, we can identify further support we can offer (debt advice, employment support, benefits checks).

It is ONLY EVER those who are using the foodbank where it isn't needed, that ever get annoyed at having to prove their need. The ones in need never mind.

I’m all for donating but what’s the point if it is used because the money was spent on something unnecessary?

I thought food bank users genuinely needed the help. Still, I guess this thread will save me donating money and food going forward 🤷‍♀️

Same. I'd offer to support with debt management and benefit claims but it's not mandatory.

Might be too late but 2 out of 3 of my kids schools offer food banks on different days, and they always put out in the emails to just show up if you need too!

No questions asked.

And if they get big donations they put them outside at the end of the school day if it's fresh stuff and can't be kept, (bread rolls, milk) for anyone at all to help themselves.

Idk why people would try put anyone off accessing help. But incase you don't have kids that are in school - you can always always ring your local ones and ask if they offer it.

It's not just for people in the school. HTH

Gently, you may not be saying that when you are not able to access any food from the food bank as it’s all been taken.

I think you may also struggle finding a food package that you can use with only a kettle too!

Could you and DH post on FB and ask for jobs.
People like OP are the perfect people who just want someone to do their garden for cheap and would likely happily pay you or DH to do it and it then means you’ll have money to buy things that you can actually eat!

Failing that, buy a cheap kettle and do what prisoners do and cook in the kettle.
You’ll be surprised at the things you can make!

Also pop an advert for a free/cheap microwave as then the food bank will be much more useful to you.

I hope your situation improves soon 💐