tower hamlets foodbank our journey

Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales

Tower Hamlets Foodbank

Our Journey


Tower Hamlets Foodbank is a project of First Love Foundation, a Christian charity founded in 2010Our vision is to develop and innovate other projects concerned with tackling poverty & deprivation where it existsWe currently operate three foodbank centres on a weekly basis in Poplar / Bethnal Green & Spitalfields

About Us


How Foodbank

Works

Step 1

Items of long-life food is

donated from right across

the local community


How Foodbank

Works

Step 2

Food is sorted by type and

date then ‘banked’ in a

warehouse


Low Income & Debt / RedundancyBenefit Delay, Cut or Change /

SanctionsDomestic Violence / Mental

HealthBereavement

Some of the reasons why

people are referred to Foodbank


Access to the Foodbank service is by referral only

Our Voucher Holder Network (now over 210 strong) consists of:

Social Workers / GP’s / Health Visitors / Social Landlords / School Parental Liaison Workers / Advice

Centres / Pastoral Care Workers etc., and Jobcentreplus

Over half are statutory run agencies!

How Foodbank Works

Step 3

We work in partnership with a

network of Care Professionals who are best place to identify those in

need


How Foodbank Works

Step 4

Voucher Holders refer clients to our

foodbank centre via the

issuing of a voucher - where we give support,

advice


How Foodbank Works

Step 5

…and an emergency donation of

food (enough for a minimum of 3

days)


Most densely populated – 237,900 living in an area of 7.6 sq milesHigh levels of deprivation – 72% - 2nd highest in London, 3rd in UKAbout the income … Canary Wharf – average

salary £95k Tower Hamlets – average

salary £11.5k

About Tower Hamlets

The People


Highest levels of Child Poverty in UK – 42%

Children regularly going to school without breakfast

Highest % of pupils on free school meals in UK

Free school meal is sometimes only meal of day

Poor Health - Vitamin D deficiency & Rickets

About Tower Hamlets

The Children


• Our work has been heavily impacted by the Welfare Reforms

• Increase in numbers of local people needing emergency food support as a result of sanctions & benefit mal-administration – average delay period 3 months +

• More single people referrals – busier sessions

What we have seen over past

nine months

The Headlines


• We fed 1780 people in 2012-13, we have fed 1860 in the past 9 months

• 15% increase in clients presenting with benefit change or delay (32% 2012/13, 47% 2013/14 ytd)

• 52% of clients seen in YTD 2013-14 were single, as compared to 45% in 2012-13

• 16 % of our clients came from JCPs in YTD 2013-14, as compared to 8% in 2012-13.

Stats – just quickly!!!


• Have seen issues of starvation i.e. people passing out as a result of incorrect ceasing of benefits

• Problems people present with are more complex – need longer term support

• As a result of the aforementioned, more clients presenting with Mental Health issues – LBTH has also acknowledged this trend

• …. So advocacy has had to become a key element of our work

What we have seen over past

nine months

The Headlines


The Historical

Trussell Trust Model

Signposting & Emergency

Food

Listening Ear & Signposting

(THFb)

Emergency Food(THFb)


What the Service now looks like ..

Foodbank PLUS

JOINED UP WORKING

…the co-location of partners into

our foodbank sessions, with a particular focus

on addressing the crisis itself

as well as meeting the

material needs of someone

experiencing food CRISIS …

Triage (THFb)

Welfare Rights (CPAG)

Housing & Council Tax

Benefit / DHP(LBTH)

Crisis Grants(LBTH)

Emergency Food

(THFb)


• To continue to deliver the service at a level which has proved effective

• To secure clean, safe, permanent storage – and office space (instead of having to move every 6 mths etc)

• To attain sustainability

The Challenges

we face

FINANCIAL


• Service is open to abuse – across borough and neighbouring boroughs

• Can’t totally rely on what client tells you

• Have had to put systems in place to reduce this - but resource intensive

• Facilitated by having open two-way relationships with our Voucher Holder Network through which we secure background information

The Challenges

we face

SAFEGUARDING THE

SERVICE


• Although there is overwhelming support for our work, there is also a lot of debate about the efficacy of foodbanks – so use every opportunity to educate about what is possible

• Need to maintain independence so we are not seen as an extension of the welfare state – one of the knock on effects is that support for our work could be impacted

• Watch out for the media & safeguard our clients (who tend to be mostly vulnerable) #benefitstreet

The Challenges

we face

MEDIA/PUBLIC

PERCEPTION


On a National level - where do I start?On a Local level - “Welfare reforms are here for the long term – we are an emergency service – what’s your plan? We can either work in silos – or work together ….”

The Challenges

we face

POLITICS – Local &

National


Thank You

Denise Bentley | Tower Hamlets foodbank Manager [email protected] | www.towerhamletsfoodbank.org.uk

mob: 07939 464946 | tel: 020 3609 0850

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.towerhamletsfoodbank.org.uk/


Where the clients that

have accessed

the Foodbank

reside within the

borough of Tower

Hamlets


1. Sanctioned for 3 months for opting to go to a job interview instead of attending a JCP appointment – yes, JCP were correctly informed

2. Sanctioned for 3 months for attending a family funeral instead of a work programme – yes, JCP were correctly informed

3. Person with Brain Tumour incorrectly deemed fit to work – encouraged to sign up for JSA ... sanctioned as cannot work …should be on ESA

What does INJUSTICE look like?

SOME EXAMPLES

OF WHAT WE HAVE SEEN


1. DV victims – rehoused in TH for their own safety – unfurnished flat, sleeping on floor with young children – in Winter!

2. Mental Health sufferers – out of fear of asking for help – living in unfurnished flat for years, isolated – no fridge, cooker, bed, sofa …

3. As a result of no ESA for 4 months – client returned donated food - no cooker anyway, only microwave, but cannot cook food as electricity disconnected due to o/stdg bill of £90! BTW – was also due to be evicted the next week …

What does INJUSTICE

look like amongst the

most vulnerable?

SOME EXAMPLES

OF WHAT WE HAVE SEEN


“After my friends wouldn’t lend me any more money, went without food for 5 days in

June & July, on each occasion I collapsed and was hospitalised due to malnutrition & dehydration”

“I have skipped meals so my children can eat”

“Lived on a loaf of bread & apples each week – for 18 months”

“I have rifled through bins” “I have eaten cigarette stubs”

“Survived on bread, butter and water**”

Question:

‘So tell me, what have

you done for food?


“… Client lives with her son who is disabled and has learning difficulties - has virtually no food in her cupboards and due to debts, all but £3.45 of her income is taken up with paying off the debts and rent arrears. “… lady in her 60s who lives on pension credit and income from a small cleaning job. Was homeless last year but a local charity was able to help her move into a flat where her rent is paid by Housing Benefit. She gets by on a small income by living frugally - a Christmas hamper would be a huge blessing to her”

Christmas Hamper Appeal

2013

Examples of nominations

Received so far

tower hamlets foodbank our journey

Documents

love foundationcharity

peopletower hamlets

needtower hamlets foodbank

foodbanktower hamlets

wales1tower hamlets

foodbank centres

advice tower hamlets

days tower hamlets foodbank