Under-25s Food Bank ‘Stops Stigma’
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Merseyside Youth Association launched a weekly Wednesday afternoon food bank service in November. Laura Eccles, a youth worker, said she noticed many people coming to the centre of Liverpool hungry and in need of food.
Food banks are for those in need of emergency support, or who simply can’t afford to keep the cupboards full.
“We made them aware of other food banks they could access but many were too embarrassed to go, so we quizzed them about food banks and it’s something they said they would access,” Laura explained.
Laura’s colleague Tom Radcliffe says around 40 people have used the service since its opening last year.
Recent information from the YMCA said that 88% of the people they work with are referred to a food bank in their local area for support. The cause of this is said to be stricter sanctions on benefits, and those claiming money whilst looking for work, who are often left in a situation where they have to choose between central heating and food. Some say that food banks are only a temporary solution and don’t actually solve the problem.
Food bank user Kyle Ayres, who has benefited from Laura and Tom’s help, said, “We come in here, there isn’t shame, there isn’t stigma… They can only go so far to help you; they can give you this food but it’s ultimately up to you.”
Kyle is now able to afford to look for work thanks to the help of the food bank.