BBC: Cost of Living Crisis Hits Food Banks

Steep declines in food donations have hit food banks in Devon, England and elsewhere against the backdrop of plummeting household incomes, insiders reported to the BBC. A food bank in Plymouth reported that donations are down 9 tons y/y so far.

Maria Mills, project manager for Stonehouse in Plymouth, said:

Donations have fallen off a cliff. We feel like we are in a perfect storm. From January this year to 10 June we received nine tons less than last year and at the same time there was a 76% increase in demand for our services.

Ms. Mills added that Stonehouse was spending up to £2,000 a week on groceries to compensate for the lack of contributions.

According to food bank organizers, the crisis in cost of living has affected typical donors. The picture is pretty similar at charity Churches Housing Action Team (CHAT), which operates a food bank in Tiverton, Devon. Chief executive of CHAT Alison Padfield said:

We are now helping as many people in a week as we did in a month pre-pandemic. We have 130 households every month and we are struggling to put those packets together.