The Okehampton Community Kitchen and Foodbank—based in Okehampton, Devon—has never seen such a dramatic surge of families looking for more affordable food sources. In anticipation of this increase, the organization has already doubled its weekly supply purchases in order to keep up with demand. Co-founder Rebecca Green reported a significant shift in the community’s needs, stating that they are seeing “a massive increase in people not in emergency food need, but in affordable food need.”
In communities where food is becoming increasingly unaffordable, the food bank is a more important lifeline than ever for families. They run a community food club, which provides access to healthy food boxes for just £2.50. This new initiative will do much to get families the help they need, especially through the financially tough summer holidays. Chrissie Read, a mother of four, shared her reliance on these boxes to manage her family’s meals during this challenging time.
“With having the six weeks off over the summer, finances are stretched,” Read noted. It’s a winning formula, but for many families it’s an uphill fight. As the Trussell Trust states, 63% of all food parcels given out throughout the UK are to families with children aged up to 16. Last year the network of community food banks in Plymouth distributed 6484 food parcels, a statistic that exposes the need for immediate action.
Zoe Nixon, director of Okehampton Community Kitchen and Foodbank, described the situation as a “devastating reality for too many families.” Dr. Walley emphasized the importance of parents making memories that their children will carry into the future with them over those summer months. They don’t need to be stressed about how they’re going to feed them.
Green stressed that everyone feels anxiety and pride. In fact, many are too proud to even ask a food bank for assistance—even in life-or-death situations. Look, those people are nervous, they’re concerned, they’re afraid. They’re proud. They don’t want to have to go to a food pantry,” she said.
The Okehampton Community Kitchen and Foodbank directly serves families that are struggling to afford basic food needs. It is probably the most significant piece of their life. Through this organization, these families now have access to easy-to-use resources right in their own communities. By highlighting their unique challenges, it seeks to alleviate some of the burdens that often emerge in an economic downturn.
