The Cambridge City Foodbank, for instance, is facing an unprecedented spike in demand. So, more than ever, people and families are turning to its emergency food service for support. Senior organiser Kate McIntosh stated that many who seek help often face not just hunger, but significant income challenges that hinder their ability to afford basic necessities.
Our foodbank continues to play an important role as a lifeline for people in crisis, delivering nutritious emergency food parcels to those who need them. McIntosh stressed that hunger in Cambridge is about more than just access to food. It’s a more pernicious income issue, one that sears through the community. “It doesn’t come down to if people are able to budget or not, it’s the fact there is just not enough money in the first place to stretch to cover people’s essential needs,” she explained.
A shocking 86% of those suffering from food insecurity around the country are not receiving assistance. This illustrates the stigma that is truly everywhere, stopping so many from seeking help. McIntosh found that people were accessing the foodbank only after they’d already been suffering for months without adequate food. These struggles render their need for help all the more critical.
“When people do visit us, quite often they have been going without food for quite some time because it can take a lot of courage to turn up,” she said. The emotional toll on those working to end hunger is just as devastating. More than half of parents even skip meals themselves to ensure that their kids are fed.
To receive support from Cambridge City Foodbank, people must first obtain a food voucher. They are able to get this voucher via self-referral or referral from such community organizations as housing associations, GPs, and advice charities. McIntosh pointed to the increase in first-time users at the food bank as an indicator. He pointed out that many are coming back for a second or third round of help.
This is in Cambridge on our doorstep. This is people’s neighbours, friends, colleagues – it’s getting to be such a widely shared experience, she commented. The perfect storm of escalating cost of living and economic insecurity has forced almost everyone seeking support at these foodbanks to use their services.
Despite the growing need for assistance, Cambridge City Foodbank has managed to keep its shelves stocked thanks to the generosity of local donors. McIntosh expressed concern that the service is becoming increasingly stretched as more people seek help.
There is no shame in asking for help, she said, adding that the process is confusing for applicants. No one wants to be put in that predicament. We are deeply invested in ensuring that communities receive support for as long as it takes.
