We can't help everyone but everyone can help someone.

Such a good idea. I have been buying a little extra on my food order and giving it to the food banks. I hardly notice the increase in my weekly shop and please to think someone, somewhere might not go hungry.

Personally, I think many people who go to food banks are scam artists, and if they have a fag in their mouth, they certainly wouldn't get charity from me because, if they can afford to buy those, then they can afford their own food. I prefer to support animal charities as the human race behaves so badly towards them

Lost for words.

Oh just stop it quizqueen #justifiedgransnetpolice

Quizqueen, ‘Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets if London...’

I was going to come on here to say that I so agree with that. You can apply it to so many things - the most paralysing position is to think it’s not worth doing something because you can’t solve the bigger underpinning problem. It can also be a comfortable excuse for not doing anything. Of course, just criticising those in need is the best excuse of all.

Quizqueen, what a very horrible and totally nasty post that was. Just hope, very much, that you are never in the position of needing help from places such a foodbanks. Mind, you I do think it is quite disgusting that in this country, one of the richest on the world, we NEED such things - but we do!!!

Have you ever actually been to a food bank? Have you ever found out why people need this help? Do you realise that most users are people who are IN WORK (or, at least were, before March). Have you ever seen a child in school who has not had breakfast? Have you ever been in the position of going with any food yourself so that your children may have something to eat? Have you any idea how anyone even gets a chit to be permitted to use a Food Bank?

I bet the answer is NO to all those questions.

Food Bank users are most definitely not any sort of scroungers -

I find it difficult to believe that someone with your views can live comfortably with yourself.

It's beautiful because it doesn't have to cost anything at all

NO NO quizqueen* is right.
She just hasn't put it very well (and I can feel I'm not putting it very well either).
BUT - risking the Gransnet police again ..... here goes .....
I know a young lady who owns a horse and pays squids a month for livery. She uses a food bank.
I know that because she offers to swap food with me because she isn't happy with the food she gets and so tries to exchange it for different food from doddery old ladies like me - eg swap 5 tins of spaghetti for baked beans, swap a tin of salmon for corned beef.
My Gdaughter would love a horse but no way can they afford one, although they have enough money to buy their own food.

I'm not sure I understand ExD is she supposed to eat her horse?

I agree. This is such a good message.

It's the small things that count.

Starblaze

I'm not sure I understand ExD is she supposed to eat her horse?

???

ExD, just because you know one person that screws the system does not mean that everyone who uses the system is cheating. I knew one grandmother who abused her gc when she was babysitting. This does not imply that every grandmother who babysits is an abuser.

This should have been a nice thread but qq basically played the role of troll.

Thank you Starblaze for sharing this lovely saying with us. As we have been unable to go to church and put money in the collection we have set up a standing order to help them at this time. quizqueen people cannot just turn up at a food bank they are given a voucher usually through social services or the citizen's advice bureau. There are still many people in need in the UK today.

There's always someone who'll take advantage of others kindness and generosity but we shouldn't allow that to prevent us from helping as and when we can.

Well said Smileless all food banks are aware that some people aren’t what they profess to be ( and there was a tv programme which highlighted this fact) and there are also benefit cheats, but that doesn’t mean that benefits or food banks should cease to exist.We can all do a bit of good in our own small corner.

ExD - BUT as fóod banks can only be used occasionally, alwauys with a chit from a proper organisation.. usually no more than three times in several months, she cannot be using one on a regular basis.

Franbern

Quizqueen, what a very horrible and totally nasty post that was. Just hope, very much, that you are never in the position of needing help from places such a foodbanks. Mind, you I do think it is quite disgusting that in this country, one of the richest on the world, we NEED such things - but we do!!!

Have you ever actually been to a food bank? Have you ever found out why people need this help? Do you realise that most users are people who are IN WORK (or, at least were, before March). Have you ever seen a child in school who has not had breakfast? Have you ever been in the position of going with any food yourself so that your children may have something to eat? Have you any idea how anyone even gets a chit to be permitted to use a Food Bank?

I bet the answer is NO to all those questions.

Food Bank users are most definitely not any sort of scroungers -

I find it difficult to believe that someone with your views can live comfortably with yourself.

Mind, you I do think it is quite disgusting that in this country, one of the richest on the world, we NEED such things - but we do!!!

That's the underlying issue-

Anyone who qualifies for food banks, has access to food banks- It doesn't matter if you own a horse, a home, smoke, drink, or do drugs- It's based on income- Not moral policing-

Ideas like the only people who should qualify cannot afford anything other than basic survival necessities supports the underlying issue mentioned above-

Although Quizqueen has been rather blunt, I am leaning towards agreeing with her! Although you can't tar everyone with same brush, you really need to see the people that arrive looking for handouts, where I live for instance. Some people have even said to me "I don't really need it, but it is free, so why not?" I can well believe people trying to swap what they have got. They are not starving. They just want freebies. People will grab anything they can and to heck with anyone else.

How can anyone say it doesn't matter what you own, smoke, drink or do drugs, it is based on income? Surely the priority is feeding yourself and family over all of these? (If they are addicts then different scenario) but ordinary food banks are being abused daily and I have refused to give to food banks since gaining first hand knowledge for reasons I have stated. I feel sorry for those who are genuinely going hungry but most of of them aren't (as they collect the food in their new cars) and that is the problem.

I was sticking up for Quizqueen because she's quite right - some people abuse food banks - I have no idea how they qualify, I was only giving a, not very good, example of the young lady who could afford a horse but needed to feed her kids from a food bank.
I applaud the OP and everyone else for supporting these charities.

It is no good saying smokers shouldn't use food banks unless you also say overweight people shouldn't use food banks. Simply a different addiction.
This is not my view I hasten to asd!

To get back to the OP - one of the things I do is use Amazon Smile and nominate a local charity.
A small percentage of the cost of my purchases goes to my chosen charity. I realise it’s very small. However I get a quarterly email updating me on the sums donated to my charity through Amazon Smile and it’s always in the region of £2k. Thus they receive an additional c£8k per year.

(I am ducking below the parapet, waiting for criticism from those who think using Amazon at all, is appalling...)

Amazon is appalling- I considered my shopping practices with them appalling, so canceled Prime- On occasion I rent a movie, so a little less appalling than supporting dependency on China and what China represents -- that's appalling ..