You might be surprised who is walking through the doors of a food bank today.
Over the 15 years Sandy has been involved with the Food Bank at the Old Chemist church in Bitterne Park Triangle, she tells us the change she has witnessed in the people coming through its doors.
When she first started, many of those seeking help were people facing significant health problems, long-term unemployment or circumstances that prevented them from working.
Over the 15 years Sandy has been involved with the Food Bank at the Old Chemist church in Bitterne Park Triangle, she tells us the change she has witnessed in the people coming through its doors.
When she first started, many of those seeking help were people facing significant health problems, long-term unemployment or circumstances that prevented them from working.
But today, the picture has changed. And it should make us all stop and think.
Increasingly, the people turning to Food Banks are not necessarily those who have been out of work for years or who have always struggled financially.
They are pensioners who have worked hard all their lives and looked forward to a retirement they thought they could afford. They are working professionals, who until redundancy had a regular income, a home to run and bills they could comfortably pay. They are parents on a low income just trying to keep things normal for their children following a relationship breakdown, an unexpected bill or simply a run of bad luck that tipped an already tight budget into crisis.
Many people coming have done everything society tells us we should do. They have worked hard, saved where they could, paid their way and taken responsibility for their families.
And yet, here they are, having to ask for help to put food on the table.
The uncomfortable truth is that the person helping others today, could be the person needing help tomorrow.
Increasingly, the people turning to Food Banks are not necessarily those who have been out of work for years or who have always struggled financially.
They are pensioners who have worked hard all their lives and looked forward to a retirement they thought they could afford. They are working professionals, who until redundancy had a regular income, a home to run and bills they could comfortably pay. They are parents on a low income just trying to keep things normal for their children following a relationship breakdown, an unexpected bill or simply a run of bad luck that tipped an already tight budget into crisis.
Many people coming have done everything society tells us we should do. They have worked hard, saved where they could, paid their way and taken responsibility for their families.
And yet, here they are, having to ask for help to put food on the table.
The uncomfortable truth is that the person helping others today, could be the person needing help tomorrow.
We received a call earlier this week from a retired gentleman who wanted to let us know how grateful he was to the team at the Sholing Basics Bank for helping him.
He had never been to a Food Bank before and was really worried. But the team were so kind and helpful. Rising costs had meant that there was nothing left from his pension this month and he had no food left to eat. Now he does.
Well done and thank you Sholing Basics Bank and, thank you, everyone that gives!
He had never been to a Food Bank before and was really worried. But the team were so kind and helpful. Rising costs had meant that there was nothing left from his pension this month and he had no food left to eat. Now he does.
Well done and thank you Sholing Basics Bank and, thank you, everyone that gives!
This is the changing face of food poverty.
What most of them have in common is embarrassment and shame. But hardship is not a flaw. Needing help is not a failure and food poverty does not discriminate. None of us know what is around the corner.
And when that happens, there should be somewhere to turn to and that’s what we want to be.
Thank you to everyone who volunteers, gives and prays to make this important work possible!