A Haringey and Enfield based food bank only has the funds to survive until May amidst the cost of living crisis.
Bounds Green Food Bank has announced that due to rising living costs and a lack of donations it is unable to meet the increased demand for those who need support.
Bounds Green Food Bank is an independent community-run food bank and accepts anyone who needs to use the service within the covered area.
Jackie Myles, a food bank coordinator and trustee at the non-profit organisation, said that the number of people who are supported by the food bank has risen.
“The need is there, our numbers haven’t reduced, they’ve increased,” she said.
According to Trust for London, 10.6% of households in London experience food insecurity.
Although some people give regular cash donations, Myles stated that the food bank requires more support to keep afloat.
She said: “They’re not big given our expenses.”
Myles explained the lack of donations is also likely due to the cost of living increase.
“People are broke,” she said.
The food provided at the organisation is a mix of individual food donations, company donations and supermarket excess through coordinated programmes.
Additionally, some of the food is bought in by volunteers. This is often at a reduced price, but still costs the food bank around £800 a week.
As well as food, the charity has to rent the premises and a storage unit which amounts in total to about £5000 in cash expenses per month.
“Really food banks shouldn’t exist at all – the fact we’re growing really is society’s failure,” Myles said.
The food bank has about 350 guests a week and subsequently covers approximately 1000 people.
It is estimated it provides each family with between £25 and £35 worth of food.
Myles said: “We don’t provide enough food for a family to live off for a week. We’re sort of topping up for people really.
“Now if you take that £25 worth of food away from 1000 people there’s an impact. The food bank exists cause the need is there really.”
“We’ve seen it coming. We’re at the point now as trustees, we’re looking at our plan if we run out of money, how do we close? What is our contigency to close?”
The food bank is open twice a week on a Tuesday and a Thursday.
The charity rents St Michael’s church Hall in Bounds Green at a discounted rate, however the church diocese has requested for one of the two days back due to their own financial pressures.
As a result of lack of funds, the non-profit has reduced some of the products it offers every week but Myles maintained that it is still not enough.
She said although they try to apply for various local government grants, they might provide material things like a computer but its a lot harder to get food grants.
The food bank is completely run by volunteers and is not subsidised by the council.
Additionally, free advice services take place on a Thursday to help people access schemes such as universal credit in order to have a longer term impact.
“We’re trying to fill that gap that shouldn’t really exist. I suppose in a very limited way,” Myles said.
“We are for a lot of the guests the tip of an iceberg of issues they have, like sofa surfing or homelessness. Food is a small part of quite a difficult life, but an important part.
“Until the country takes care of food poverty or poverty in general the need is there.”
Anyone who shows up to the food bank is given food – although those who want to collect food regularly are asked for some proof they are struggling financially.
The food bank started in Covid as a small community-based organisation delivering to people, but only grew after the pandemic.
Myles said alongside providing people with sustenance, the community aspect of the food bank would be a sad loss.
“I’m mixing with a cross section of my local community that I might not really mix with outside of it,” she said.
“You become more connected to your community that way I think.
“I am a white, privileged, middle-class North Londoner and I could quite happily stay in that bubble forever but that doesn’t necessarily reflect where I live.”
The driving force for Myles to volunteer was the death of her father.
“My father died and I had a lot of love that wasn’t going anywhere when my dad died and I felt that I needed to do something good with that,” she said.
Myles started as a driver and subsequently worked her way to become a trustee and coordinator.
“The community aspect of it is big – the involvement of all the volunteers and people who donate to us tend to be local,” she said.
“People know about us in the area and people who want to give their time or give their food or give some money.
“I think it means a lot for people to be a part of a local community in some way because London is a funny place. You can easily be a stranger in London but you don’t have to be really.”
Featured image credit: Bounds Green Food Bank
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