More substantial support
Kettering Foodbank March figures of 5052 meals was 400 meals down on March last year, having said that Februarys figures were 22% up. The general trend is for demand to be lower than last year, some reasons may be.
1. Improved Employment Rates – If more people have found jobs or wages have increased, fewer may need to rely on food banks.
- Lower Inflation – If food prices and cost of living pressures have eased, households might be better able to afford essentials.
3. Better Budgeting & Awareness – People may have adjusted their spending habits after a tough period, making them less reliant on emergency food aid.
4. Alternative Support Programs – Other initiatives (e.g., community kitchens, local government support) may be absorbing some of the demand.
Several smaller food projects that have started up in the last year and it’s also possible to obtain a free hot meal almost every day in Kettering although I’m not sure this actually helps families. Some schools now have their own food banks but their help is limited. Our “help yourself” table of “Out of Best Before” or “Short Dated” items is very popular and serves a large number of people.
It's also possible that increased donations have allowed Kettering Foodbank to provide more substantial support per individual, resulting in fewer overall meals distributed. It has also been said that some prefer to get their food parcels from Kettering Foodbank because they receive a lot more. A Big THANKYOU to all of you that make this possible.
Our policy has always been to help people not become food bank dependant by referring them to other agencies that can also help so most of our referrals are now from new people.