Charity gives out more emergency food parcels than ever before in the West Midlands but donations are drying up
More emergency food parcels than ever before were given out in the West Midlands by a charity over the past year, new figures have revealed.
New figures released by the Trussell Trust have revealed that 278,230 emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship in the West Midlands between April 2022 and March 2023, with 103,892 of these parcels provided for children.
It is the most parcels food banks in the charity's network in the West Midlands have ever distributed in a single year and represents a 34 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
In the Black Country, the figures show 20,405 food parcels were handed out in Sandwell in the year to March, while 5,862 were given out in Walsall.
Across the UK, almost three million emergency food parcels were given out between April 2022 and March this year – up 37 per cent on the year before.
Emma Revie, chief executive at the Trussell Trust, said: “These new statistics are extremely concerning and show that an increasing number of people in the West Midlands are being left with no option but to turn to charitable, volunteer-run organisations to get by and this is not right.
"The continued increase in parcel numbers over the last five years indicates that it is ongoing low levels of income and a social security system that isn’t fit for purpose that are forcing more people to access food banks, rather than just the recent cost of living crisis or the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Food banks were set up to provide short-term support to people in an emergency, they are not a lasting solution to hunger and poverty, and more than three quarters of the UK population agree with us that they should not need to exist.
“The staff and volunteers in our network are working tirelessly to ensure help continues to be available, but the current situation is not one they can solve alone.
“For too long people have been going without because social security payments do not reflect life’s essential costs and people are being pushed deeper into hardship as a result.
"If we are to stop this continued growth and end the need for food banks then the UK government must ensure that the standard allowance of Universal Credit is always enough to cover essential costs.”
These figures cover parcels handed out by the Trussell Trust itself, but do not include emergency food supplies provided by other charities and organisations.
Other food banks in the Black Country have also said that they are feeding more struggling families than ever before, however donations are drying up.
The Elias Mattu Foundation, which operates a food bank in Owen Road, Wolverhampton, says it may have to close in a matter of weeks due to a lack of funding and fewer donations coming in.
Asha Mattu, who runs the Elias Mattu Foundation, said: "At one point we supplied over 500 families, but we've hardly got anything left.
"It's dropped off since January. Times are hard for everyone but we were a lifeline for people. For us to close, it's so sad.
"Those people on the other side of the phone who are pleading with me, I feel very sad when I have to ask them to go to another food bank. I don't think we are the only ones, I think other food banks are suffering too.
"We've hit the bottom of the barrel. We are a community and we have to help each other."
People have been urged to bring donations to 8 Owen Road, Wolverhampton, or give any cash they can to help. Ring Asha Mattu on 07904 310530.
Breaking Bread, in Walsall Street, Wednesbury, says it fed more than twice the amount of people last month than it did in March 2022.
Manager Lin Walford said: "We had a very busy month last month.
"We fed 533 people in March, compared to 204 the same time last year. We are independent and rely on donations purely from the public.
"But donations have gone down because of the cost of living crisis.
"People can't afford to give. We have been fortunate, we have had some financial help but it only goes so far and the donations coming through the door are getting less and less every week."
Black Country Food Bank, which operates from a central warehouse in Brierley Hill, reported distributing more than 519,000 meals last year – a 31 per cent rise from 2021.
Meanwhile, the number of people supported from its food banks increased by 39 per cent.
Its CEO Jen Coleman said in January this year it had also helped the most people it had ever helped in one month since setting up in 2006.
She said: "The figures are staggering and the levels of poverty are much deeper than many realise."
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “We are committed to eradicating poverty and we recognise the pressures of the rising cost of living, which is why we have uprated benefits by 10.1 per cent as well as making an unprecedented increase to the National Living Wage this month.
“This is on top of changes already made to Universal Credit which mean claimants can keep more of their hard-earned money – a boost worth £1,000 a year on average."
“We are also providing record levels of direct financial support for the most vulnerable,” they added.
