What can you do to help? Buy someone #22mealsforacoffee (That’s 22 meals for the price of a £3 coffee…)
While typing my previous post, I had a bit of a brainwave.
And I wonder if I can get something going here, with almost 10,000 Twitter followers, 5,000 Facebook fans, 2,000 Facebook friends, 3,000 email subscribers…
I wonder if…
If, instead of spending £3 on a coffee today, tomorrow, this week, you could do this instead.
Go to your nearest supermarket, and buy the following: (I’ve priced mine at Sainsburys, but other major supermarkets are similarly priced):
2 tins of baked beans – 22p each
1 jar of fish paste – 32p
1 can of sardines – 55p
1 tin of chopped tomatoes – 31p
1 tin of carrots – 20p
1 loaf of bread – 50p
1 jar of jam – 29p
1 bag of pasta – 39p
TOTAL: £3.00
And go and put it in a carrier bag and take it straight to your local food bank, or a friend or neighbour in need.
Because one latte = 16 slices of bread and jam + 6 portions of beans on toast + 2 portions of pasta with fish paste + 4 portions of pasta with sardines and tomatoes.
One latte = 22 meals.
No, not nutritionally perfect, but better than hunger. If you have the extra cash, replace the jam with peanut butter. Add some tinned spinach or more tinned tomatoes, some stewed steak or tinned meat. I don’t care what you spend that £3 on – just skip one, just one, bloody latte; and buy someone TWENTY TWO meals instead.
Jack Monroe. Follow me on Twitter @MsJackMonroe. Find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/agirlcalledjack
A Girl Called Jack is available to order here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Girl-Called-Jack-Monroe/dp/0718178947
Categories: Fundraising, Campaigns & Charity
I am across the pond in the US. But, I am coming to live in Britain for awhile in October. However, until then, how can I make a donation?
I’ll find out!
My local food bank has a “donate” page. I’m sure if you emailed them they would tell you the IBAN/BIC code so that you could do an international money transfer, the other bank account details are already on the “donate” page. See: http://www.storehousebelfast.com/support/index.php
Sandy: keep it simple. Google ‘food bank, your county or cuty, your state’ and give locally. unless you luve in one of the vast unpopulated western states, there is a needful foodbank within 20 miles of you and there are hungry people closer still.
Just saying…
don’t you think there are hungry in the U.S. who would similarly appreciate the help? Help where you live now/later help where you live then.
I do donate monthly to my local food bank and have for almost 20 years. I just wanted to help in this cause, too.
Hi Sandy,
I live in the US as well. Whatever parts you hail from, the best thing you can do here in the states is to get in contact with local churches and see who organizes a homeless feed, and volunteer your time and food to the cause. There is a great deal of homelessness right now in every state. If you know someone personally who is below the poverty line (but has access to a kitchen), you can buy someone a number of meals by going to your local value mart and getting the following:
1 or 2 bags of pasta or rice
1 loaf of bread
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 can of black or kidney beans
1 jar of peanut butter
1 bag of frozen broccoli
1 jar of bouillon cubes
1 bag of Cutie oranges (why? These are a cheap, easy, kid-friendly treat with high vitamin C, and they go a long way)
Jam and cans of tuna are also friendly additions. For someone who’s homeless, consider a food packet with bread, peanut butter, Cuties, cans of tuna/sardines, a tin of instant coffee (gold when you’re homeless, believe me), and a few things that can become a hot meal with hot water from a gas station (even the dreaded Cup-a’- Noodle). I hope this has been helpful.
I worked out that to buy every item on my nearest food bank’s “most wanted” list it would only cost £20 (an that’s buying mind-range stuff too, not the value stuff I buy for myself). So not much, really.
I can’t afford £20 right now because uni doesn’t go back til September so no bursary/loans and today it became clear that my husband will have no choice but to leave his job soon SO instead, I made a promise to myself that the first shop I do with my student loan will include all that stuff and a wee trip to the food bank.
We’re struggling a bit at the moment, but it’s nothing compared to how it could be.
You don’t have to buy everything on the list, just a few items what you can afford is fine, if everyone gives a little it goes a long way to help.
I would love to but today we had to sell DVDs at cash converters to put petrol in the car to go pick up the kids so um.. there is really very little we can spare until September.
Jack, this is a fabulous idea, but my local foodbank only takes “non-perishable” foods, so no bread. Do you think I could substitute a packet of bread mix?
I reckon you could substitute corn flakes (31p) and UHT milk (59p) for the bread and jam…
Thank you, will do that 🙂
Or you could try giving cream crackers, which has a long shelf life and which could be eaten for breakfast with jam or peanut butter as well. There are many food banks and soup kitchen projects over here where I live, so I will definitely do this, as frequently as I can afford to.
I can often pick up bread reduced at the end of the day, but jam never is because a non-perishable. I’d give jam.
Reblogged this on Marie's Blog.
Ok, closest food bank identified. We ll be done in the morning. They also have a suggested shopping list
Great Idea
after 2 years in & out of temp work, I have finally got a full time perm job; I am lucky that the local foodbank is 1 street away from me……….and I will most definitely be contributing. I’m just trying to think of the best items to buy..so if you have any suggestions…….
i mean nicer items than the staples u haven’t listed…..
Hi Dee G. My local foodbank has a “shopping list” which would probably be similar to most of them. Perhaps you can see this link? http://peterborough.foodbank.org.uk/resources/documents/foodbank/pbro-website-shopping-list.pdf
Hope it helps.
Great idea. I’ll donate something in the supermarket tomorrow or ask if you can buy some things and donate there. I would never pay £3 for a coffee incidentally! The mark up is horrendous; perhaps something else we should be questioning?
The markup is not horrendous. You are paying the wages of people working in the shop so that they can afford their own sardine and fish paste dinners. You are paying the rental on the shop and the bills to run it. A coffee shop is selling a service in the same way a restaurant or a hotel or a pub is.
I usually add one or two things to my shop each week, I have a nice pile growing in the garage. Will take it down to the food bank once I have a box full.
Thank you for this post. A timely reminder for me to be thankful for the plenty that I have and to do more to help alleviate the shocking poverty on my doorstep. A trip to the local food bank this week will be my starting point.
Hi here’s a link to the Tressell Trust – at the bottom of the page there is a link on what to buy, plus another link to your nearest food bank.
http://www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-projects
Thanks Jack – I needed a kick up the backside
An absolutely brilliant idea. I’ll do this tomorrow, I was going to go to our local Sainsbury’s but the one a few miles further is the collection point for our nearest food bank (they don’t take donations through their own door), so I’ll go there instead and drop off these suggested items, and as I wasn’t going to have a coffee anyway but it’s now on my mind … I’ll add a jar of coffee to the bag 🙂
I’m on it! And I promise to do it every week from now until we do not need any foodbanks. So looking forward to your book! Also you know the dine in for two for a tenner offers at shops like marks? Why don’t you have a competing shopping list for.foodbanks to feed two for a week. We can all send it online to our virtual contacts!? Just a thought.
Years ago I had a friend who was out of work and I always remember him saying that he would rather do without food than tea – i’m a coffee drinker myself but I always include these for the food bank. my local Sainsburys has a permanant collecting point and we had a collection at the office where I work
What an absolutely brilliant idea! Too many times we can think that a small amount won’t make a difference but our small can be huge when you know how.
Lets vet to it and look after each other!
Carol – Wigan, Lancs.
Sent from my Windows Phone ________________________________
Genius idea, something practical that a lot of people could do. I’ll whizz it round the 63 members of my WI
Another option is to spend perhaps £1 extra each time you shop on a few of the staples and hand those in. Unfortunately they don’t have collections at my local supermarkets that often and so I tend to just buy about £5 worth on those occasions that they do – but I am aware that this irregularity is perhaps not as helpful as everyone spending £1 each week would be.
There doesn’t appear to be a food bank nearby me. The site I have found states my nearest one is 23 miles away which doesn’t sound right to me. Where is the best place to find out? Thanks.
Your local Salvation Army branch is likely to know, or other local church.
Um, please don’t give money to the Salvation Army- it’s a homophobic organisation. They supported Section 28 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28 and discriminate against LGBT employees http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Salvation_Army#Stance_on_homosexuality – google for more articles. Giving time or money to a foodbank is awesome but please don’t give to an organisation that wants to make my life (and possibly Ms Monroe’s life) more difficult and less safe.
(Thanks for the blog, recipes are very useful)
Sorry Reb, thanks for the info – I didn’t realise. It’s frustrating because obviously the Salvation Army do help people in need – I guess donating food would be OK because they’re not getting any money? Obviously it’s not ideal but sometimes they’re the only group feeding people in need in some areas.
Coincidentally my friend posted an appeal from my local food bank on FB. I shared it and your link. Not one of my friends has liked/shared or commented on either so far. Rather disappointed with them.
Whatever I have left of my food budget tomorrow (last day of month) I’m going to use to buy some food for my local food bank. I’m also going to volunteer my services.
Thank you Jack for making me do something about it instead of just agreeing with you that this must stop
Since reading of your experience using food banks I have started to donate to a local one once a month and add a few extra things into my shop every week until I have a box full to take to the food bank. On my last visit I met the co-ordinator, a lovely lady who was very welcoming. She said that the day before the shelves had been virtually empty.
I try to shop wisely to get as much for my money as I possibly can, to facilitate as many people as possible benefiting from my donation. I am starting to add tinned fish and meat products as when I attempted the 5 days for £1 per day challenge I really appreciated being able to eat some meat or fish. I am glad that I can help, even if only in a very small way. If many people did this a lot more people could be helped and it is amazing how much food you can buy for just £10 if you shop wisely. Thank you Jack for inspiring me to look outside of my own circumstances and reach out to help others less fortunate.
This is a great idea and hows just how little food costs, not good food but food all the same. Maybe swap teh bread for a bag of flour?
A lot of people in dire straits don’t have cooking facilities if in B&B accommodation. If they’re on a meter for the electric they probably want to use their oven as little as possible. Cornflakes and a carton of longlife milk is better than a bag of flour.
What a fab idea! Most people think nothing of spending £3 on a hot beverage-you have just clearly highlighted, that we all can make a difference by making small sacrifices/ changes in our day to day lives. Together with my two teenage daughters,we are definitely taking up your challenge of £3=22meals donated to our nearest foodbank. Hitting the local supermarket tomorrow:).
Great idea. My coffee money is already given to my child sponsorship (that sounds so grand. It’s not. I only had one treat coffee a week anyway) but I’ll help spread the word.
I’m in the US and will also make a donation here…hunger is everywhere. Do you know if your book will be distributed in the US? My thought process is to donate books to the food bank to be distributed with the food. Teach a man to fish…….
Tracy, I believe it will be, but it will also be available to buy online as well. X
Fantastic idea. Shared on my FB page including a link to our local foodbank. Items on their ‘most wanted’ list added to my food shop and I will take them when the local foodbank is open next Tuesday. Lets hope everyone does it 🙂
Reblogged this on Loz's Little Crochets and commented:
Good idea <3
If you have an extra pound to spare buying toilet roll for the food bank would go miles! I’m sharing this ITs a beautiful concept.
And sanitary towels!
All the major supermarkets near me ( Texas ) have drop-off points for food donations which go to local foodbanks, and some sell paper bags of non-perishable groceries at the checkout you can pay for ( @$4-9 )and the cashier puts it straight in the donation receptacle.
The supermarkets can’t lose- they are still selling products- and doing local service too.
There are regular food drives before the major holidays also school supplies collections just before school starts back.
I will definitely do this!!
Since January, I have a budget of £5 per week dedicated to buy food for my local food bank. My goal is to buy as much food as possible, as healthy as possible, within this budget.
Two weeks ago, I had some interesting coupons from Tesco (£14 off £50). I bought groceries that I had to buy anyway for my household, and about £22 of food for the food bank; with the coupons it means I only paid £8 for it.
Using such coupons is a nice way to help food banks without blowing your budget.
Reblogged this on Life Intent and commented:
I love this frigging lady and her mission 🙂
I don’t buy coffee like that so I was thinking about my other little ‘treat’ that somehow have become a regular purchase. I get what I call ‘rubbish magazines’ each week so this week I pledge to spend that money on food bank resources.
Just about all of us have something in the nature of a ‘treat’ that we could turn into a food bank donation.
Great idea. Can you explain the maths please. Without the bread and jam I see 12 meals. How does 16 slices bread and jam make 10 meals?
I counted some as ‘a slice of toast with jam’ and some as ‘a jam sandwich with two slices’ – I should have broken that down really!
Jack – do you know of a list of food banks?
I’ve linked to this post of yours on my Blog post today, I hope we can get some sort of snowball of food donations going on.
There is a nationwide collection of food for The Trussell Trust food banks on 3rd August at 200 Asda stores, I’ve also highlighted that on my Blog. Let’s inundate them with food and stop ‘hunger hurting’ for a few for a moment.
http://ournewlifeinthecountry.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/food-banks.html
Reblogged this on Kitchen Share uk and commented:
Food Banks aren’t solving poverty, but they certainly are giving some relief.
A very powerful article questioning what your bare necessities are.
What will you spend your £3 on?
I live in a very comfortable, outwardly prosperous town where we have people living rough in the local graveyard. I leave water out for their dogs, some dry dog food plus bottles of squash and easy to eat wrapped sandwiches for the humans- their dogs provide them with warmth, love and non judgement so please no snarky comments about their having the ‘luxury’ of a pet.
I have a boy called Jack. He donates a bag of ‘goodies’ each week at the food bank because a bar of chocolate, a bag of Tortilla chips and some Haribo are doubly appreciated when your income will not allow their purchase. I provide the staples. loads of anger here at the press reports of the opening of our food bank where local dignitaries including an MP were photographed with glasses of wine in hand, smiling boradly as though they were actually proud of the need for this service. THEY JUST DO NOT GET IT and i do not apologise for typing that in big shouty capitals. They do not get it.
I have been thinking the same, if everyone cut one luxury – latte, fizzy drink, packet of crisps – anything really – for a week and used that money to feed the poor or give to charity, what a better place this world would be! x
Reblogged this on the rowan garth and commented:
A must-read, because there are hungry people in every city, every town, possibly every village…
Foodbanks also like empty egg boxes (check with them first), so rather than throw them away, they can be recycled usefully as they get eggs in bulk, and put them into boxes of 6 for people.
I don’t buy £3 lattes…. But last week, just before payday, I was doing the last of my grocery shops for the month, and there was £3.80 left in my budget after my shopping was done. And serendipitously, my local food bank had just plonked a trolley in my local supermarket as a limited-time collection point – so I did another shop with the money I had left, and put it in the trolley. I always give when it’s easy to do so – guess my next thing to do is budget to give regularly even when it requires a bit more effort on my part.
It’s also possible to give without it costing you anything. If a supermarket gives you a money-off voucher of a certain spend, and you were going to spend that much anyway – just use half of the voucher value to buy items to give away. If the item you normally buy is on bogof – give the free one away. And so on.
And if anyone reading has a stash of toiletries and sanitary ware and can spare some – give those, too. Most people will give food first, and rightly so – but few will think to add in a few toiletries.
Great idea, bought the shopping found details of local foodbank on web took shopping it was shut! well i tried
The food bank doesn’t take.bread donations as it will have gone stale before we have time to. Distribute. Maybe change to cerea
Jack..they keep asking on the radio for someone to do pause for thought. .well it should be you.its time someone young with a different relavant outlook was given a voice..please apply…
I’ll look into it!
A brilliant idea – thanks for sharing! Most people won’t miss £3 but many will feel the benefits of an extra 22 meals.
I just checked the prices out at Aldi (which is the closest supermarket to me) and was suprised that I could only shave 17p off this shopping list. Good that the big supermarkets have the budget range, as long as you don’t get tempted by things you don’t need, or tricked into the belief that the branded items are better because of price. I think there is a local collection point for the food bank in Smethwick at the chapel behind the house so I am going to contact them and suggest they use this blog to increase donations and hand out your recipes. What would be good is if they bagged up the food with the recipes attached (a weeks meals in a bag) so the people getting the donations will know exactly what to do with the food they have. Brilliant idea Jack.
Hey Jack, thanks for a much needed nudge in the right direction. My friend and I managed to get 4 full bags of shopping for £8.56 in Tescos and donated it all to our local food bank… spending £4.25 has never felt so good! Now we are about to try to make your warm daal, rice and pitta. Thanks for encouraging us all to think about others and support our local communities… you’re an inspiration.
Hi jack. This blog post really made me think. I never would think for £3 you could make so many meals. So today when I was doing my own food shop I filled a basket full of things to give to my local foodbank. I hope to be able to contribute every week now.
This is a great idea and I donate regularly to our local food bank. However it is a scandal that there is a need for food banks in what is supposed to be a civilised first world country. Perhaps if everybody who has been moved to donate also protested to their MP something would be done, though given Lord Freud’s recent remarks I don’t hold out much hope.
Its amazing that £3 can buy that many meals. If people are looking for their nearest food bank then check out this website: http://www.trusselltrust.org/map
Just a thought. I know the Salvation Armys views, but who are you really hurting if you dont donate to them? Despite their views they do still feed and clothe the needy. I dont think you need to fill out a form stating your hetro before you recieve help from them. Here in Aus we dont have alot of food banks that I am aware of, definantly not here in Tasmania and it is the Salvation Army that does the bulk of that work. I am not affiliated in any way with the Salvation Army but I know they helped feed me a few times in my much younger days and to think that I would have had to have missed out on that because of political/lifestyle issue would be sad. Please think about when to politicise issues when it could mean a little one not having anything to eat because of the views of the care giver. They will help you regardless of your sexual orientation.
As an openly bisexual woman the Salvation Army (in the UK) helped me loads of times when I was homeless and vulnerably housed. I agree with you, nobody needs to give them money but donating food to them will help others.
If your treat money is already going somewhere as mine does, try putting all the coppers you collect for a week into a pot. You’d be surprised how much you can collect, especially if you get the kids doing it too.
Reblogged this on HUMAN RIGHTS & POLITICAL JOURNAL.
a great idea but you do realise your bag is emptied and put seperately on shelves, so the people who receive these items do not necessarily know how you intended these goods be used so might not get your 22 meals,
Yes I know some food banks do that – but it’s still a good example of how far that ‘latte’ will stretch…
I have been reading all the wonderful responses to your idea Jack (and resolving to play my part too), but I have been reminded of something which Dom Helda Camara said “If I feed the poor, they call me a saint. If I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.” Catholic Archbishop of Brazil until 1985. I agree that we should be making changes to our lifestyle to make it possible for some people to just survive. It is the decent, human thing to do. Thank you for your ideas.
Reblogged this on thesparrowwhisperer.
Someone commented on the Salvation Army, I looked up their UK church beliefs on homosexuality http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/PSHumanSexuality it’s actually pretty liberal, and they do genuinely help people:
‘We do not expect the same level of adherence from non-members and do not condemn those who do not hold the same beliefs or exclude them from attending our church services, working for us or receiving our support.
We oppose any discrimination, marginalisation or persecution of any person. We find no scriptural support for demeaning or mistreating anyone for any reason.
Anyone who comes to The Salvation Army will receive assistance based solely on their need and our capacity to provide help. We work with people who are vulnerable and marginalised across the world, and offer very practical help, unconditional assistance and support regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.’
I wonder what St Paul’s Cathedral will be doing with the sixty seven thousand pounds ( taxpayer money ) they charged for Baroness Thatcher’s funeral….hopefully donating it to hunger and homeless issues, so dear to the Iron Lady’s heart?!
Reblogged this on Halls are made for Madness and commented:
Tweeting, blogging – I read stuff daily, most of which I enjoy, some of which makes me say #grrrr and much of which makes me think. A lot of it feels like rhetoric. Here’s something that’s made me think, which is brief and to the point, and turns the rhetoric into action.
Hi, someone may already have said this, but you have a loaf of bread on your list – foodbank won’t take perishables 🙂
Other than that it’s a splendid idea 🙂
All food banks are different – mine did. It can be substituted for own brand corn flakes and UHT milk though.
http://www.trusselltrust.org/resources/documents/foodbank/ShoppingList.pdf
Reblogged this on Making the most of what I've got and commented:
Skip a latte and buy someone 22 meals (or skip a nail polish and buy them 44)…
This is a great idea – we love it! Especially as our foodbanks are seeing lots of families coming to us who are struggling because they don’t have access to free school meals during school holidays.
The Trussell Trust runs a network of 370+ foodbanks in the UK, if people want to find one near them here’s a link: http://www.trusselltrust.org/map. Many of our foodbanks don’t accept perishable food but, as Jack suggests, cornflakes and UHT would be a great alternative to bread and jam. Thank you Jack for a wonderful idea and thanks to all who have given too!
P.S Jack, I’m writing our e-news to go out today and thought this might be good to mention – could you give me a call to let me know if that’s ok? And maybe get a quote from you? Thanks so much – 01722 580182.
Molly
My friend and I decided to do this, we don’t do lattes but the small amount made sense. As we talked we decided to up the amount to a fiver each.
We actually ended up spending more as we got a bit carried away and lost track of adding up and comparing ingredients. We bought goods from the Asda Smart Price range or the next one up if cheaper (yes sometimes it was)
We used a combination of this list and the one provided online by our local foodbank. Next time we are buying tinned meat and fish as this is what the food bank is short of, as we overheard when we dropped off.
I must look into whether they do gift aid on donations whether money or goods. They didn’t seem to know about gift aid.
This was re-tweeted into my timeline and I just had to leave you comment. What a fantastic idea! I myself don’t drink coffee of any sort, but I get the picture. £3 can feed a lot of hungry people! I’m off to google if I have a food bank in my area.
For those of us who normally spend more on food another way to get the £3 would be to switch a couple of more expensive meals for one of Jacks budget recipes.
Your blog inspired me earlier this week to get off my backside and actually find out where our local food bank is ( turns out it’s just down the road, which was sobering) and do something to help by donating and maybe volunteering. Keep up the brilliant posts – you’re a real inspiration.
I’m going to try this for my own shopping for next couple weeks as rather broke right now, although will be a few quid more as am wheat intolerant and wheat free pasta is stupidly expensive in comparion! Really looking forward to the book Jack 🙂
Reblogged this on Benefit tales.
Reblogged this on multicolouredsmartypants.
Have just done a shop at our local Asda and in the foyer were our local food bank ‘One Can Trust’. What bigger prompt did I need?! So I did the shopping list – which today came in at £2.75 – and took it to the food bank reps and introduced them to you and your current campaign. Proof of how a small idea can make a big difference. Well done Jack.
I run our local Food Cupboard which covers all 260.8 square miles of West Somerset. Because we live in such a rural location we have food collection points in nearly all the local churches, village shops and village halls and various places of work and when someone is coming in to Alcombe where the food cupboard is based they bring in their local collection and leave it at the food cupboard which is open 7 days a week . People wishing to donate can call in at any time with their gifts, it might just be a single tin of soup or a bag full of groceries but every item is precious and will make such a difference to someone who is hungry.
We have made our food cupboard known to all our local care agencies and support networks who identify where there is a real need; the agency then collect a food parcel ( containing approximately £30 worth of food) and deliver it direct to their client. That way confidentiality is maintained and also those who live in the most rural parts and who would otherwise been unable to come in to collect a food parcel for themselves due to lack of transport or the cost involved are still able to benefit from the service we offer.
This is an area of hidden poverty where jobs are often only seasonal and low paid. We encourage donors to make use of the the B.O.G.O.F. which we translate as Buy One Give One Free. Whilst we probably don’t have that many regular Latte drinkers your idea has given me food for thought as to what other ‘luxuries’ we can manage without and how that £3 or so spent frivolously on something that we thought we needed on the spur of the moment could otherwise be spent on basic food to help someone in food crisis.
We as a country should not be in this position but while we are we must all strive to do what we can to help those in need for it could be us tomorrow asking for food.
Well said and the transportation issue is something I never considered. I wonder if our local food bank has thought of this…
Filled a carrier bag in my local Asda today with tins, bread and pasta (only cost me £5.39), then dropped it in the collection trolley on my way out the door. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. :o)
Hi while i wholeheartly agree with your idea i just wonder if giving it all to the food banks is best my reason for saying this the food banks only help a person 3 times per year. What happens to them the rest of the year if they are without money etc for long periods due to sanctions/benefit delays etc where do they go then and not everyone can b referred to foodbanks what happens to those people or the people who cant afford to get to a food bank every village should have a foodbank where anyone no matter if they have been referred or not can get assistance if they are destitute
I am not sure why you think that food banks only help a person 3 times a year.. Whilst we do not encourage reliance on our food parcels we are guided by the professional referrer and continue to supply those in need for as long as the referrer considers appropriate. As they are visiting the family or individual their assessment is crucial, they can see whether further assistance is required or whether their client can now manage without our help.
This may not be the case with yours, but from what I’ve heard, many Trussell Trust food banks have a 3-uses limit within a certain period (6 months, a year – it may vary). Although they are meant to have helped them find longer term support to alleviate their food poverty by then.
@catwoman36: I suppose for someone who still hasn’t had their problem resolved after reaching the maximum, soup kitchens would be an option in some urban areas (Central London is probably the best served, including churches and temples offering free meals), visiting churches and asking for help, or the Salvation Army. Or in the absence of those, more desperate measures: scavenging (from bins, or in the countryside), or – as a last resort – stealing.
Reblogged this on Rikki Rants and commented:
This is a beautiful idea. Now to find a food bank in Southampton. Do they even exist? How do I check their provenance?
“When I feed the poor, they call me a saint, when I ask why the poor have no food they call me a communist”
It’s important to ensure that people don’t go hungry so donations are great BUT we also need to Q why this is happening. Why have food and fuel prices risen so dramatically? Why do we waste more food than required to feed the world? Why are sanitary products classed as luxuries and not exempt from VAT? Why was someone charged for taking food from a supermarket bin? Why do supermarkets make their surplus food inedible? Why in the UK do we have the highest number of empty properties and the highest number of homeless families? Why are laws and technologies being proposed to prevent people from saving and sharing seeds ? Donate but also debate and demand change
My place of work has started accepting donations. I’ve just dropped off tinned food, shampoo, soap, sanitary products etc
I wanted to do this, as I wanted to make a tangible difference to someone in a worse position than me. ‘There but for the grace of god go I’, and all that.
But to echo Sally Montgomery’s points above, I felt sad walking round the supermarket, thinking to myself, ‘how has it come to this?’.
And to quote Jack, who is pushing people into the river? Why and what can we all do to make it stop?
Well said!
Are you still thinking of having us contribute our ideas for the £3 Latte shopping list and what we could make from our selections? If so do you want us to work within a minimum number of meals such as 14 or 21?
Sharon
Don’t forget to donate pet food too! Our pets depend on us and its heartbreaking to not be able to take care of them. Sometimes a pet is all a person has, no one should have to give their companion animal up.
Hey! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell
you I truly enjoy reading through your blog posts.
Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums
that go over the same topics? Many thanks!
wrt to the bread issue – couldn’t long life bread – the kind you bake before eating – be substituted?
After meaning to do this for months, today I have finally shopped for my local food bank. Spent £12 in Aldi and bought everything on Jack’s list twice (except bread in case they don’t accept it), plus rice, kidney beans, tea, coffee, biscuits, tinned potatoes, tinned peaches, tinned soup, dried herbs, Weetabix and long life milk. I’m also going to try to organise a mass-donation at work and add some Xmas treats to the donations.
Amazing blog/ideas, I’ll be glued to it. I went to a Harringay networking event the other month, which Positive Youth Harringay organised. I took a bag of tins for the foodbank which was there. Planning on doing my next Clothes Club event in February to raise money and buy stock for a foodbank.
The coffee idea is such a good one although I would never pay that
The list you have given is excellent. We have a box in church for food to be given to local charity and one in my local supermarket. I def will be giving to both
we only have one wage and three children one just finished a degree and one studying at college. my husband had wage cut. We have leant to shop around and be price wise
Thanks for your great idea
Some very good ideas on this list. I’m always amazed as how to people can regularly pay over £3 for a coffee at Starbucks. It’s so overpriced.
Holy moly. That really puts things into perspective. It is amazing just how cheap food can be when you put your mind to it and start thinking more frugally. I had no idea you could get so much food for the price of a Starbucks.