Foodbank, Harvest Festival & Sign Of The Times

[nailit]

Been out on the foodbank van all day today. Just starting to pick up the Harvest Festival donations from churches and schools. When I was a kid, schools used to collect donations and distribute them to various individuals who had been nominated to receive a food parcel, usually the elderly or infirm. Now it seems as though most (if not all) Harvest Festival donations go directly to the foodbank. The foodbank gives not only to the homeless but to the working poor, the people left without money due to Universal Credit been rolled out (delays of up to 5 weeks without any money or means of survival in the mean time) and families left without any means of support for whatever reason.

For God's sakes WHY? Whatever happened?
Harvest Festival used to be distributed as a good will gesture towards the elderly, now its literally to help people to eat whether young or old, working or not.

[nailit]

Welcome to 21st Century Britain....

[spathiphyllum]

Why you ask?


austerity. Simple.

[spathiphyllum]

https://labourlist.org/2018/08/watch-labour-video-explains-why-austerity-doesnt-work/


Watch video on the left of webpage

[spathiphyllum]

Under “austerity doesn’t work.” there is a video. The sound needs to be put on. The video is on the left, click play, put volume up, and enjoy.

[Mamyalynne]

To take UC as an example, they have made a completes hash of what was supposed to be a smooth transition - landlords and others that people owe money to won't wait while the creaking system gets itself together.

Other reasons apply too.

[Neveracrossword]

Nailit, haven't you asked this question umpteen times before? Why do we need foodbanks at all, why do we have homeless people... I think these have been debated quite often. (Not that this precludes further discussion, of course, but it's not a hitherto unknown area!)

[rowanwitch]

The block I am living in got a donationa local school. Boxes of groceries. Truth is very few here need it and apart from a few luxury items quite a bit was passed on to a foodbank. I did think if they did it this year I would offer to cook a meal for everyone in the block with what they give as it is company most of the residents need.

[spathiphyllum]

Austerityyyyyy

[Rockrose]

Harvest festival donation used to help the needy? What’s the problem?

[pastafreak]

I certainly doesn't all go to foodbanks as they generally do not take produce. It's only just started and I'm buried under a mountain of carrots,apples(mostly rather sad windfalls), marrows and potatoes...plus loads of oranges and pears. That's not counting all the tinned and packaged that goes to our other building. It all needs prepping for storage...anybody wanna help?? This will build up over the course of the month, and provide us with much to use into next year.

[Eleena]

rowan,
how insightful of you, fantastic idea x

[nailit]

//Harvest festival donation used to help the needy? What’s the problem
Try reading the question!

//Nailit, haven't you asked this question umpteen times before?//
Dont believe that I have.

//Austerityyyyyy //
In 21 century britain?? And austerity who for?

[Rockrose]

But it is helping the needy, should it only help the needy that you think are needful enough?
If you get offered some of the donation I assume you will turn it down as you don’t fit your own criteria!

[Neveracrossword]

Sorry, Nailit, you maybe haven't asked the exact same question before, but I know I've seen 'foodbanks - WHY?' and 'Homeless- WHY?'.
PS. You said 'whatever happened?'. I think the most basic, simple answer is 'Need'. (Whether there should be that need is, of course, another whole debate.)

[nailit]

Boo locks then
Shant bother anymore....

[Neveracrossword]

Your work with the foodbank is admirable. I thought the thread was about the change in Harvest Festivals?

[jourdain2]

I think I understand nailit's post. He's right. Harvest Festival produce used to go locally for extra treats, to help out the elderly (who maybe couldn't garden any more) and some to the local people known to be having difficulties. Now many places do send directly to foodbanks.

We don't, we have a box in the church and anyone can put in donations to go to a local charity for the homeless and struggling, so 'Harvest' produce tends to go there - but a lot is still fresh, non-processed food and there are channels which swing into action.

We're old-fashioned and in the country, so that's probably why.
Yes, it's disgraceful that so many have to rely on food banks, they should be to cover hiccups in supply or temporary cash-flow shortages. UC must bear a lot of the blame for the inefficiency with which it has been applied. It must move a lot more quickly - people cannot live without food.

[Old_Geezer]

Don't worry, it'll soon change; Theresa May has informed us that austerity is about to end. And she's always "spot on".

[maggiebee]

Who's that OG, the dancing queen?