r/Glasgow Tools

Title
Author	Wyrmalla
Comment	I haven't used, but have volunteer with a food bank. There may be a stigma around using them, however, having seen the people who actually do there's certainly a breadth of backgrounds. Hopefully some of this will help at least, even if its more conceptual. The one I volunteered in was very busy at times. Mostly families, but plenty of single folks as well. Which with many of the volunteers being elderly, meant that they could be rushed off their feet trying to put together all the bags of food (we'd pre-make a dozen boxes of food to save people waiting. Mostly 3 person households. Though you'd get at least one 7 person one a week (the food bank was open 2 days a week)). As far as the people coming in, as I said there were many families. Others were graduates who had work, but were short on cash. From who I spoke too there wasn't many who were unemployed - or if they were they were in a household with at least one income (i.e. a mother looking after kids, whilst the father worked). Which is to say, the state of food banks is indicative of the country's economy. My father was told by the Job Centre to take a zero hour contract and just use a food bank if it didn't pay enough for example. And yes, the Job Centre did sent through referrals. Which perhaps doesn't help with any stigma, as the Job Centre's processes (and employee's) certainly don't leave you feeling valued. Leaving you feeling like if you want to use a food bank its a failure, rather than something to help you get along till things improve. Talking about the culture of Food Banks from the volunteer perspective. As I said most of the volunteers were elderly and retired. The actual staff mostly did this on the side of other work. There was an earnest desire to help in many. Whilst I felt others were there more out of a duty to try and make up for society's failings (there were a few ex-managers, military types about, as would I say many had religion from cursory conversations - we were located near church). Though the amount of care volunteers put into deciding what food, etc, to give to the clients varied. Some volunteers had the attitude that they'd take what they were given, others spent the time trying to organise set meals for however many days were being provided for. Being given a jars of pasta sauce with rice for instance for a week for instance would definitely mess with your morale. There was an awareness that the Food Bank's stocks were limited. Though if there was a glut of items the volunteers would disregard management at times and sneakily give more than was meant to be allocated. It was the volunteers who had complete control over what items were being given to the clients. Clients of course had their lists of requirements (they'd get the standard allotment of items, but would be sat down with a volunteer to discuss specifics, or any extras). Obviously these specific needs couldn't always be met (male hygiene products and dog food always went fast. There was tonnes of cat food meanwhile). It didn't feel great telling someone we'd run out of toothpaste for instance - nor would I imagine the client would be in a great mood either for missing out on something so basic. It was an absolute no-no to give out any out of date or damaged items. I'd only give someone a bashed tin if it was the last one of a certain product and I asked them first. Sure when it came to wastage we were throwing out good food at times, but there tended to be a glut of certain items. A good portion of the items weren't store brand either. Things like soya milk would be, but most other products weren't exactly the cheapest brand available. Super Markets would occasionally donate tonnes of one product due to not stamping bar codes correctly, etc. So its not like the clients had to leave feeling like they were receiving the cheap versions of what they could have otherwise bought (and as volunteers, if there was a "better" version of a product available, that would be handed out as a priority. As would say a family who had a preference for making curry be given any extra herbs, etc, where available - people donated all sorts of not inexpensive products). I'm going long... :P Food and drinks were provided whilst the clients waited. Each had to queue up to speak to speak to a volunteer to discuss their needs, before they sat down and awaited their bags. It was basic stuff - toasties, sandwiches, cans, coffee. Most of the clients didn't talk to each other, but the kitchen staff were pretty cheerful and you hardly seen them inside the kitchen unless they were making something, so the clients didn't have to sit there in silence unless they didn't want to engage. The clients slipped into the process quick enough after their first visit. Everyone seemed to know what was going on, and it was just another part of their day. Like waiting for the bus I guess. I suppose that looking at the volunteers and comparing them to themselves may have been something that went on. I felt like a prat some times. Like the clients looked at me like I thought I was better than them - something like the whole "White Man's Burden" thing. From their perspective they were being served by a bunch of over eager yuppies and god botherers, and just had to bare it till they were out of their. That's me projecting though.
Reddit Link	https://www.reddit.com/r/glasgow/comments/b7mw4h/food_banks/ejupowo/
Created	Mon 1st Apr 2019 4:43am
Status	()

I haven't used, but have volunteer with a food bank. There may be a stigma around using them, however, having seen the people who actually do there's certainly a breadth of backgrounds. Hopefully some of this will help at least, even if its more conceptual.



The one I volunteered in was very busy at times. Mostly families, but plenty of single folks as well. Which with many of the volunteers being elderly, meant that they could be rushed off their feet trying to put together all the bags of food (we'd pre-make a dozen boxes of food to save people waiting. Mostly 3 person households. Though you'd get at least one 7 person one a week (the food bank was open 2 days a week)).



As far as the people coming in, as I said there were many families. Others were graduates who had work, but were short on cash. From who I spoke too there wasn't many who were unemployed - or if they were they were in a household with at least one income (i.e. a mother looking after kids, whilst the father worked).



Which is to say, the state of food banks is indicative of the country's economy. My father was told by the Job Centre to take a zero hour contract and just use a food bank if it didn't pay enough for example. And yes, the Job Centre did sent through referrals. Which perhaps doesn't help with any stigma, as the Job Centre's processes (and employee's) certainly don't leave you feeling valued. Leaving you feeling like if you want to use a food bank its a failure, rather than something to help you get along till things improve.



Talking about the culture of Food Banks from the volunteer perspective. As I said most of the volunteers were elderly and retired. The actual staff mostly did this on the side of other work. There was an earnest desire to help in many. Whilst I felt others were there more out of a duty to try and make up for society's failings (there were a few ex-managers, military types about, as would I say many had religion from cursory conversations - we were located near church).



Though the amount of care volunteers put into deciding what food, etc, to give to the clients varied. Some volunteers had the attitude that they'd take what they were given, others spent the time trying to organise set meals for however many days were being provided for. Being given a jars of pasta sauce with rice for instance for a week for instance would definitely mess with your morale.



There was an awareness that the Food Bank's stocks were limited. Though if there was a glut of items the volunteers would disregard management at times and sneakily give more than was meant to be allocated. It was the volunteers who had complete control over what items were being given to the clients. Clients of course had their lists of requirements (they'd get the standard allotment of items, but would be sat down with a volunteer to discuss specifics, or any extras). Obviously these specific needs couldn't always be met (male hygiene products and dog food always went fast. There was tonnes of cat food meanwhile). It didn't feel great telling someone we'd run out of toothpaste for instance - nor would I imagine the client would be in a great mood either for missing out on something so basic.



It was an absolute no-no to give out any out of date or damaged items. I'd only give someone a bashed tin if it was the last one of a certain product and I asked them first. Sure when it came to wastage we were throwing out good food at times, but there tended to be a glut of certain items. A good portion of the items weren't store brand either. Things like soya milk would be, but most other products weren't exactly the cheapest brand available. Super Markets would occasionally donate tonnes of one product due to not stamping bar codes correctly, etc. So its not like the clients had to leave feeling like they were receiving the cheap versions of what they could have otherwise bought (and as volunteers, if there was a "better" version of a product available, that would be handed out as a priority. As would say a family who had a preference for making curry be given any extra herbs, etc, where available - people donated all sorts of not inexpensive products).



I'm going long... :P



Food and drinks were provided whilst the clients waited. Each had to queue up to speak to speak to a volunteer to discuss their needs, before they sat down and awaited their bags. It was basic stuff - toasties, sandwiches, cans, coffee. Most of the clients didn't talk to each other, but the kitchen staff were pretty cheerful and you hardly seen them inside the kitchen unless they were making something, so the clients didn't have to sit there in silence unless they didn't want to engage.



The clients slipped into the process quick enough after their first visit. Everyone seemed to know what was going on, and it was just another part of their day. Like waiting for the bus I guess.



I suppose that looking at the volunteers and comparing them to themselves may have been something that went on. I felt like a prat some times. Like the clients looked at me like I thought I was better than them - something like the whole "White Man's Burden" thing. From their perspective they were being served by a bunch of over eager yuppies and god botherers, and just had to bare it till they were out of their. That's me projecting though.











