Admin wrote: ↑Thu Dec 17, 2020 8:06 am
For the record, I’ve worked with the CAB in assisting people in getting food from foodbanks and the process of applying etc is lengthy and for the applicant pretty dehumanising in terms of the checks they have to go through. And almost all of those applying that I dealt with didn’t want to be there. They were embarrassed and ashamed at their situation.
And yet maffy and his ilk know different.
The real problem here Admin is that you perhaps think you are the only person to have got involved in this. Believe me you are not. The name fxxx the poor I find hugely offensive. Hugely offensive. Not too mention totally wrong on so many levels.
There was an organisation involved in setting up food banks, their corporate mantra was to create as many food banks as possible. A goal I felt was wrong.
They had a change at the top and the new goal was to eradicate the need for food banks. Correct.
Their goal today, I have no idea.
Food banks exist, there should not be a need at all in our country and that they exist is a national disgrace. But for an organisation having a goal of expansion, like Starbucks opening coffee shops, is wrong. For sure open them where a need is identified but put efforts into eradicating the need.
As for an approval process. Totally agree, dehumanising is an appropriate word. The other side of the coin was that in the early days of food banks it was often sufficient for people to turn up and get help. A process that was abused. I know it was abused. I’ve seen it get abused. At the expense of those in genuine need. That ain’t right. Processes developed to prevent abuse. You tell me how these things should be managed! I don’t know.
When you dig deeper and look at supermarkets getting involved, even the Government getting involved I really start to struggle with whether supermarkets are genuinely concerned or just seeking an opportunity for self promotion. The ooh look at us, ain’t we good. But better they contribute, even for selfish reasons, than not contribute at all.
It’s a complex issue. One that should not exist, but it does. And one that will continue until the need has been eradicated. Eradication is the goal.