Difficult year and busy times ahead for Black Country food banks
It may be a new year, but for food banks across the region it seems to feel like business as usual.
The ongoing cost of living crisis has shown no sign of abating, with prices continuing to rise for gas, electric, rent and day-to-day living costs and more and more households feeling the pinch in 2023.
The past year was also a tough one for food banks, with many recording increasing numbers of referrals or people needing help with getting access to food and, as a result, having a supply vs demand dilemma.
Ahead of what could be another busy 12 months, some of the food banks across the region have been looking at their current situation and how they would like to see things progress in 2024.
The THOMAS Project in Aldridge has worked for more than 10 years to provide help for people and families in need through its food bank, having been active in the community since 1985.
The food bank had a busy year in 2023, providing more than 23,000 meals for 1,500 families, as well as two tonnes of toiletries and cleaning products, and manager Liz McMeekin said she anticipated a busy year ahead as the food bank looked for new and bigger premises.
She said: "We have been very busy and have seen a lot of people coming in and stuff being sent in and seeing the need, but one thing we've found has been the real generosity of the people in the community as they've been giving us a lot of donations over Christmas, which we've been able to give to those in need.
"One of the things we are really struggling with at the minute is space and we are desperately looking for new premises because we've got more people coming into the project and more things that we want to do and we are really limited for space.
"Looking ahead, we're really hopeful that we will be able to continue giving at the level we currently are at, but we'd obviously like to find new and bigger premises and, obviously, we need more donations and we need finance as well to help pay the rent and other costs."
Over in Sandwell, Breaking Bread in Wednesbury had experienced a very demanding 2023, with manager Lin Walford saying she had never seen anything like it at the food bank, with donations low and demand continuing to rise.
She said that the festive period had been a busy time and said that while she hoped for better times and there was support, she wasn't confident of things getting better.
She said: "We found that Christmas and the new year have been manic and the numbers keep on rising.
"I have to say we have been supported brilliantly by both businesses and people from the community, and all our volunteers have gone above and beyond, but without doubt, donations are not keeping up with demand.
"My hopes for the new year, are that we are not needed as much, because that would mean the situation is getting better, but I feel that will not be so."
Over in Wolverhampton, the last year for the Elias Mattu Foundation seemed to go in an endless circle of short of supplies, pleas for donations help and growing demand.
The food bank, which is named in memory of the late Mayor of Wolverhampton, is still functioning and still providing help, but founder Asha Mattu said there was a feeling of desperation everywhere and hoped for better times.
She said: "The situation at the moment is just like the few months and last year as we have been struggling with getting donations and we have had a lot more referrals, with people not being paid or being sick and having no food in the house, and it's been getting very desperate for a lot of people.
"We're finding that the amount of food we currently have is starting to go down again and there's a chance that we'll be empty very soon, but the demand is still there and is still going up a lot more through different circumstances.
"This year, my hope is that we'll no longer need to have food banks but, unfortunately, we still do, so my only hope is that we can be well stocked and help provide for people."
The THOMAS Project is open on Wednesdays from 10am to 1pm and on Fridays between 3pm and 6pm. To find out more, go to thethomasproject.co.uk/food-bank
Breaking Bread is open on Wednesdays from 10am to 3pm and on Fridays from 1pm to 7pm. To find out more, go to breakingbreadfoodbank.co.uk
The Elias Mattu Foundation makes deliveries every Saturday between 12pm and 6pm. To find out more, go to eliasmattufoundation.com/services
