Food Banks

[shazsha]

Food banks are my pet bugbear at the moment-get me started on the topic and I'm practically foaming at the mouth!

A few food banks are via referral but a great many aren't. You just simply turn up, give them a sob story and you're off with bags of food.

I live in an area with a high rate of alcohol and drug abuse and the food banks are used by many of them.

One male I know visits umpteen food banks, collects his groceries and then sells them on.

Another male I know is on top rate DLA, both personal and mobility components. His average weekly giro amounts to approx. £300 weekly and he is on full housing benefit. Owing to his medical condition he has social workers and has been referred by them to local banks where he receives free groceries.

Another couple I know go to a drop in centre daily. This centre also runs a food bank. They can go there daily, have cooked meals, get a manicure(!), get given clothes and come home at night with bags of food(which they occasionally sell).

Everyone of the above have drug and/or alcohol problems. Before the food banks they would buy basic foodstuffs but now they don't even attempt to do this. They think their giro is for their drink and drugs and the food banks are there to feed them.

It absolutely disgusts me and when they're 'boasting' of their free food I go into full scale rants.

I have absolutely nothing against food banks for those who have unexpected outgoings and are in genuine need but, as far as I see, these food banks are simply being abused.

Imo they should be linking up via computer and keeping track of who is receiving food and how often they are getting it....it may cost money to implement it but the savings, in the long run, would be huge.

[cromwell]

One male I know visits umpteen food banks, collects his groceries and then sells them on.

That is absolutely appalling. That's worse than shoplifting or burglary to me because it's knowingly depriving people who may need food in order to make money for yourself.

[TheOstrich]

One male I know visits umpteen food banks, collects his groceries and then sells them on.

That is absolutely appalling. That's worse than shoplifting or burglary to me because it's knowingly depriving people who may need food in order to make money for yourself.

Fully agree, that's somewhere between fraud and theft.

We donate to a local one run by the Baptist Church which is based in the neighbourhood sink estate, and that's operated by referral and also by "local knowledge". I have no reason to doubt their integrity.

[Diflower]

That's it isn't it, I only have knowledge of the local one, which is really strict, to the extent the people operating it are worried a lot of those who need it aren't getting their help.
But if nationally (if not everywhere) it's as Shaz describes, then yes of course it's all wrong

[Kaz]

Shaz that is horrendous