As prices soar and the cost-of-living crisis escalates, foodbanks are set for a tough Winter and Christmas period. The Mirror's analysis shows the Trussell Trust, which runs more than 1,300 foodbanks, is set to provide more than three million meals this month.
Last year's equivalent saw 257,500 emergency parcels, containing ingredients for three meals a day for three days, given away - the equivalent of 2,317,500 meals. More than 32% more parcels were given away between April and September by the Trust this year when compared with those months of 2021.
An estimated extra 82,400 parcels will be handed out should the current trajectory proceed, which makes a total of 339,900 packages containing the equivalent of approximately 3,059,100 meals. Concerningly this sum does not include parcels provided by hundreds of foodbanks other than the Trussell Trust, so the real figure will be significantly higher.
The charity’s chief executive Emma Revie told the Mirror: “Foodbanks in our network are set to face their hardest winter yet as the cost-of-living emergency is forcing more people through their doors. The public has continued to be generous with its donations, but the rising level of need means that we are giving out more food than we are receiving.
“Foodbanks are having to buy twice as much food as they did last year and, combined with rising operational costs, that is making it hard for them to keep going. We are expecting that this winter will be the hardest yet for food banks and the people they support.”
At a Christmas service held by the Trust at Southwark Cathedral last week, Review warned worshippers of the difficulties set to grip its centres in the coming months.
“More and more people are being forced into impossible decisions, like heating their homes or feeding their children,” she wrote in the service's programme. Foodbanks in the Trussell Trust network are telling us that they are deeply worried about what’s to come.”
She added: “Our country has been hit by a perfect storm - rising energy prices, rising inflation, a potential recession - which is just forcing more and more people deeper into poverty. The soaring cost of living is driving a tsunami of need to our foodbanks.”
Independent Food Aid Network coordinator Sabine Goodwin told the Mirror: "Christmastime is bringing unprecedented challenges to already struggling independent foodbanks. Across the country, foodbank teams are seeing unparalleled demand for their services both in terms of scale and severity.
“But foodbanks know their help will do no more than provide a temporary sticking plaster on escalating poverty - and worse is likely to come this winter.” She added that volunteers are “overstretched, demoralised, and often trying to support people in unbearable distress”.
The depressing realities of the cost-of-living crisis continue to unveil, with nine in 10 foodbank organisations under the IFAN umbrella now "supporting people who have not needed help before." All groups said the cost-of-living crisis had fuelled demand for aid packages.
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