Just Witnessed People Driving To A Food Bank To Pick Food Up.

[dave50]

These people weren't getting a lift, they were driving themselves and not all in old bangers either. Are people taking the proverbial?

[naomi24]

Maybe something happened suddenly - like a job loss.

[-SharonA-]

I've seen some people with two shopping trolleys each!!!

[bednobs]

just be thankful it's not you needing it.

[douglas9401]

I'm pretty sure there are procedures in place to regulate use of food banks. 

None of them are the opinions of passers by.

[THECORBYLOON]

Perhaps they were collecting food for other folk?

[Backdrifter]

Yes there are procedures regulating foodbank use. I agree with the other responses above; a casual passerby knows nothing of the circumstances of those who go into food banks, and anyway how do you know specifically they were collecting - are you going in and checking on all who enter?

 

The question reeks of small-minded sniping. As mentioned above, be grateful you're not in the position of having to use a food bank. 

[ToraToraTora]

Yes food banks are completely unnecessary. No one is starving unless the choose to be.

[ToraToraTora]

If they can afford personal private transport then they can afford food, end of.

[Backdrifter]

"No one is starving unless *they* choose to be" is, of course, lip-bibbling nonsense. 

[sandyRoe]

Isn't there an MP who claims he could make tasty, nourishing, meals for 30p per portion?

Perhaps he should write a cookbook.

[ToraToraTora]

It's about priorities we have one of the most generous benefits systems in the world, they die in the channel to get here. If people choose to spend their dosh on things other than food then they are choosing to do that end of. They're all clutching a £15 pack of cigs, a £1000 pound phone and in this case they have a jam jar, they live on takeaways and wacky baccy. If they need a food bank that is their choice and our fault for being a soft touch. End of.

[naomi24]

TTT is right.  No one is starving.  But he's wrong to say if they can afford a car they can afford food because he is unaware of their circumstances.  They might have been quite well fixed before, say, illness took a toll or their job was no more.  We don't know their circumstances but I do know people can't just arrive at a food bank and demand food.  They have to be referred.

[gulliver1]

TTT 15.09 You seem to know an awful lot about how the system works .

[Hopkirk]

TCL may be right, they could be volunteers dropping deliveries off to needy folk.

[fripfrip]

Yes TTT is right,i've seen them arrive in a taxi,tell the driver to wait and then come out with two bags of goodies each,if you are given things away you will always get plenty of customers .

[gulliver1]

SR 15.04 Think he cooked his books sometime ago .

[fripfrip]

^^^^           ^^^^

Have you got a link.

[Backdrifter]

Perhaps a better way of putting it rather than "starving" is that there are people in food poverty, ie they're unable to buy enough food to ensure a sufficiently healthy diet for themselves and their families. There's a range of reasons for such circumstances, all of which will obviously be sneered at and dismissed by the uninformed but that doesn't change that food poverty exists and is a sad fact. And to reiterate again - we don't know the individual situations of those we see going into foodbanks. Obviously, no amount of repetition of any of the above is going to have any impact on those shrivelled-up enough to not care about the poverty of others and who seek only to carp, sneer and dismiss out of sheer ignorance. Perhaps they should go into foodbanks not to snoop and check up but to talk to those who volunteer so they can actually learn something about it and add a little humanity to their lives.

[bookbinder]

I have some information on how to get into a food bank.

1. You usually need a referral to a food bank.

2. You might be able to use a food bank without a referral: e.g.

    if it's run by a church.

3. You can get a referral from Citizens Advice; a GP; a housing       association; or a social worker.

[fripfrip]

^^           ^^

Or they could try working for a living and provide for themselves.