Food bank plea for help as stocks for basic goods dangerously low

A FOOD bank will not be able to feed families desperate for basic meals if stocks are not replenished urgently.

Bethany Monaghan, Operations Manager and Kaite Quinn, Volunteer Manager. Picture: Neil Hanna

The Edinburgh Food Project based in Saughton will soon be unable to provide crucial emergency food parcels if crisis donations fail to materialise.

Food bank manager Bethany Monaghan said the project had managed to fulfil the orders for this week but would struggle to provide the necessary items for families in the coming weeks.

“All our orders are out for this week but I currently do not have the stock and families will go hungry.

“The items listed are things I don’t have anything of – they are the most urgent.”

The project has enough pasta and tea and sanitary products but stocks on all other food and drink has taken a massive hit over the school holidays.

Since the start of the summer break, nearly 2000 parcels have been delivered, over a third of them to children.

“There has been a lot out over the summer holidays,” Bethany explained. “We have scraped by and now we’re running on low to empty and need help.”

She said people had already been very receptive.

Cllr Melanie Main said: “It is absolutely shocking that our food banks are running out of stock. That this charitable support for those going hungry is close to collapse lays bare the reality that UK government’s welfare reform is not working and the Tories needs to face up to their responsibility of caring and providing for those in need. It’s shameful.”

In April the foodbank announced an 18.5 per cent increase on food supply donations compared to last year. MSP for Edinburgh Eastern Ash Denham said: “The food bank provides an essential service for many throughout Edinburgh and has done an incredible job feeding people this summer.

I am deeply concerned that this effort has left them running critically low. I would urge, therefore, all who are able to donate food to the Project to do so to enable them to provide emergency food parcels next week.”

Donate to 12, New Lairdship Yards, Broomhouse Road or visit www.edinburghnw.foodbank.org.uk for more drop off locations.