General Chat

Looking on the web site, there is a 'shopping list' given of foods they ask for

Milk
(UHT or powdered)
Sugar (500g)
Long life fruit juice
Tins of Soup
Pasta sauces
Sponge pudding (tin)
Tinned Tomatoes
Breakfast cereals
Tinned Rice pudding
Tea Bags
Jar of instant coffee
Instant mash potato
500gms Rice
500gms Pasta
Tinned meat/fish
Tinned fruit
Jar of Jam
Packets of biscuits
Snacks

As many know, Waitrose branches donate £1000 per month split between 3 charities/organisations nominated by the local customers. You put a token in the appropriate box on your way out. One of them this month is the local Foodbank.

Well done Brian :-)

I often put something in the trolley in our local supermarket for the foodbank. Tins, packets, or things like washing up liquid, cleaning stuff are welcome.

Well done Brian. I know you are not the only poster who helps with food banks. They are absolujtley essentiial.

The growth has been phenomenal both here and in USA. You may remember that we had a thread recently about food banks in Colorado. People helping with food banks last year and being very wealthy in UK terms suddenly found themselves as recipients. Even sinking funds (savings) of $50,000 doesn't stop you from sinking fast and eventually drowning if you lose a job and an income stream. :-( :-(

It is terrible that people in uk are reduced to using food banks but they are. With no work and having more outgoing than in coming they have become necessary. I saw in the paper where some mothers are not having a meal every day preferring to feed the children. Hard to imagine isn't it. Yes, I am sure some will smoke, but then most may have adapted to roll their own and it would be hard to give up when you also have no food. Our Tesco also collects for a food bank.

Couldnt agree more Ann


http://www.metro.co.uk/news/890468-70-per-cent-of-british-families-on-the-brink-of-poverty-research-claims

The Catholic charity Caritas runs a food bank here in Menorca & has seen the demand quadruple over the past 2 years.
Most of the people it helps are immigrants to the Island & not necessarily Catholics.
Up to a few months ago, expat Brits who weren´t working were getting a lot of help, because there is no Welfare State in Spain, so if you don´t work, you literally have no income.
Please remember when donating food that there are lots of ethnic minority people using the banks, for whom some British staples may not be appropriate

Thats a very good point, regarding different cultures when donating. I guess rice is eaten by most around the world but it might be worth thinking about what you want to donate.


Hmmm, food for thought (sorry!)

when we lived down south we had a couple of handouts of tinned stewing steaks was eu surplus or something. That doesnt happen anymore those 10 tins we were entitled to made a few good meals which we appreciated.

I knwo our local food bank had a collection at our local Tesco and even though I am on benefit (and no I dont smoke or drink or go out partying) I gladly bought extra to put in their collection and probably didnt cost me anything as I used their bogof offers on what I was getting anyway.

Dont think many people would want using foodbanks to be their usual way of life but we never know what is going to happen when I got married and first had the children I didnt think that at 45 I would be disabled and reliant on my hubby for so much or that he would have to give up work to look after me and Laddo that drop in wage was a big blow but there wasnt much choice thankfully I have an exchef for a hubby who can make a tasty meal out of stuff I would just leave in the frieg not knowing what to do with it.

d x

Most on the OP,,,,,,are got by qualifying for it,,,,,,,

Free School meals----- you need to qualify.
Food Bank help------you need to qualify.
Free Breakfast Clubs--you need to qualify.

The well off may have said that about our ancestors who for reasons went into the workhouse or applied to the parish,,,,,,,,,there were far more able jobs then than now.

Even the qualified cant use their qualifications to get employment.....

I wasn't being frivolous when I mentioned schools teaching budgeting, I only knew how to do it because I had a friend who could handle money well and she taught me.

Many parents have little idea how to make their money last, hence the massive debts in this country. It would seem to me that teaching basic budgeting,I am not meaning the advanced stuff like investing and mortgages, in schools could prevent a lot of problems in the future. It must come under the umbrella of maths.

The young dont see long term of management......plus most have grown up in a have now,,,,,,,so no experience of what happens when the sums add up to 0.

It does seem that a lot of youngsters are coming out of school unprepared for life. They don't seem to know what county Harrogate is in or their periodic table either.

More importantly imo, basic skills of budgeting and preparing meals are lacking. Remember the recent story of a blind single mother of 3 aged about 50 with 3 daughters who was complaining because she could not afford to spend £120 per week on her food bill.

Could we not use hospital and school catering managers (perhaps retired ones) to show mothers (and fathers perhaps) how to plan meals on a tight budget and how to cook them.

My OH managed for years for a family of 4 in early 1990's on what I would think was about £60 per week at todays prices. No idea how she did it. It was brilliant. Because we all ate quite well and the food was always very tasty and wholesome.

We now spend vastly more than £60 pw and only 3 of us now. But times change. Just going out to Pizza restaurant for tea :-D

I'd like to know how you 'budget' when your outgoings are greater than your income?

Sell all the things you have worked for? Sell your 'home' and move to rented accommodation?

If you've worked all your adult life and you fall upon hard times, why should you have to?

Might be an idea to ‘create’ jobs and allow people to support themselves


The problems that we are seeing now are not the average families doing....governments and banks, spring to mind

thanks for all the comments. i find it so sad that in this day and age people are going hungry, and have to visit a food bank. we are paying for the bankers and goverment perks, plus being ripped off on fuel bills...i will be making a food donation every week when i do my food shop. cameron and co dont have a clue whats its like to live in the real world.

£50 for 3 in Pizza Hut :-( :-( Very nice, very enjoyable treat.

But restaurant was more than half full. Seems very wrong when so many are using food banks.

Saw a restaurant on Groupon today. Half price lunch "taster" in 27th best restaurant in the country. Only £75 per person for two or four people was the offer. Plus Vat, plus wine.

We are becoming a devisive society. Half of us thinks the other half are workshy layabouts who never make any effort. The other half thinks the other half are bankers and rhyming slang for bankers who have an easy life and a big pension and have no idea what the real world is like.

Trouble brewing in Britain unless we sort this out soon and share things out a bit more and give some hope to everyone of jobs and a future. If respectable politicians don't do it, will it not open the way for less respectable ones to whip things up eg Germany between the Wars :-(

trouble is well and truly brewing. people dont have future anymore. i pity what our younger generation will have to suffer. due to lack of jobs. politicians have not got a clue...

At our local Tesco this morning, volunteers were giving out lists of appropriate items for food bank donations, inviting shoppers to put said items into designated trollies.
I was more than happy to buy extra items to donate, especially at this time of year. Anything to help someone else to enjoy a little festive cheer is more than worth any extra expense.
It's just a pity it always has to be down to charity.

The problem is that a Food Bank very quickly becomes an absolute necessity .............. because the government realises that people are helping others by donating food and other supplies .................... so they cut back more and more on benefits.


This is the history of the Vancouver Food Bank .........................

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society was established in 1982 when many small organizations, church groups and concerned citizens joined together in response to the hunger crisis during the economic recession in 1981.

The purpose of the organization was to be a temporary social service provider; HOWEVER, because the number of those suffering from hunger problems has continued to increase, the GVFBS has become one of the most important non-government funded food assistance providers in Canada.

In 1982, the GVFBS assisted 200 people.

In 2011, the GVFBS helped feed over 9,000 people each week in 15 depots throughout the Greater Vancouver area,

The GVFBS also continues to aid over 100 food-serving agencies within these areas, providing help to approximately another 16,000-18,000 individuals weekly.

Each year the GVFBS warehouse moves over 8 million pounds of food in and out of the 33,000 square foot warehouse.


The agency BUYS a lot of food ..................... and welcomes donations of money. Their purchasing power can triple the buying power of $1, because of agreements with stores, farms, etc

They buy because food donations from donors, often mean that there are items lacking in which to provide balanced, nutritional meals.

As a result, and in keeping with the healthy living guide that the GVFBS adheres to, some food items are purchased such as:

Eggs
Vegetables
Fruits
Milk
Baby Products
Protein Items
Chickens & Turkeys at Christmas



In summary, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank .....................

was established in 1982, consolidating the actions of small community groups that came together the previous year to aid people in trouble during an economic recession

collects and distributes food to nearly 27‚000 people weekly

has 15 food depots and over 100 community agencies through the Greater Vancouver area

is a non-profit organization, and does not receive any government funding

and relies solely on the generosity of individuals and organizations willing to donate funds‚ food and time.


More and more families of so-called "working poor" are finding they have to resort to a food bank because their wages do not cover everything. It may be a choice between paying for shelter or buying food.



All one can do is say "There, but for the Grace of God, go I"



BUT ................. are you all prepared to support your food banks for the next 30 years or more??

I work in a homeless hostel and sometimes we have to relie on the foodbank for some people we have took off of the street.I also donate at the entrance to supermarkets on my way out.Can i add people are only allowed to have a foodbank 3 times a year so not ongoing

3 times a year is rule, Annie. But some clever so-and-so's are getting round that.

On that recent TV programme (not sure who ran that Food Bank) one chap had managed to con them for a long time into giving him an enormous amount of food - and he was very fussy about what he took. No rice and tinned tomatoes for him.

I suppose there is always one who flaunts the rules and worthy people don't get fed as a consequence :-( :-(