news.
Since March, 144 food aid organisations have joined the
Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) – with a third of
those created in response to Covid-19 poverty.
The Food Standards Agency found that the crisis had
tipped households which were ‘just managing’ to make
ends meet into food insecurity, with up to one in 10
people forced to turn to foodbanks in June.
But as restrictions ease and financial hardship starts to
impact more households, foodbanks are beginning to see
support dry up.
IFAN reported that a drop in supermarket donations,
furloughed volunteers returning to work and local
authorities winding up food aid projects signalled a
problem for organisations providing immediate support
to families in need.
They saw a 148 per cent increase in the need for
emergency food parcels between February and May this
year, triggering a network of ‘pop-up’ foodbanks – but
they are seeing no sign of demand decreasing despite
being set up as temporary measures.
And they’re calling for the government to “do morethan temporarily mitigate food poverty” through the
normalisation of foodbanks – by committing to cash
grants for people on low incomes rather than making
them dependent on charity for food.
Foodbanks are preparing for demand to increase
in the coming months after a quarter of food parcel
recipients told the Office for National Statistics they were
in need after losing their job during the pandemic.
Sabine Goodwin, IFAN coordinator and Big Issue
Changemaker, told us: “Covid-19 has proved, once again,
that relying on foodbanks to fill the holes in our broken
safety net is both unsustainable and inappropriate.
“As compassion fatigue sets in, former donors start
to need foodbanks, supermarkets withdraw support,
any government funding runs dry and deep recession
resets communities’ capacity to help. Foodbank teams are
running out of ways to prepare for the inevitable.
“The government cannot fail to act and provide decent
incomes and adequate benefit payments for the millions
of people impacted by Covid-19 job losses and the
austerity-driven poverty that preceded them.”The international street paper community was
saddened to hear that Patricia Merkin, founder,
director and editor of the Argentinian street paper
Hecho en Buenos Aires, has died. Hecho en BS. AS., which
translates as Made in Buenos Aires, was launched in
2000 to help homeless people earn their own money
by selling a magazine.
The Argentinian street paper paid tribute on its
Facebook page: “She was a warrior like few others
and a vision for projects of love and unique inclusion.
We will miss you so much!! All the stars are with you.”
Paul McNamee, editor of The Big Issue said: “It’s
terrible news about the death of Patricia. She was
a brilliant woman. A righteous legend who had the
spirit of Argentina to her. She was totally fearless
and one of the real global figureheads for street
papers. An incredible life-force, great company,
funny and fierce. A bit of joy has been extinguished.
She will be missed by so many, not least the poorest
in Argentina.”
Our thoughts and good wishes are with the Hecho
en BS. AS. team and Patricia’s friends and loved ones.‘Compassion
fatigue’ fears
for foodbanks
The Covid-19 lockdown inspired an outpouring of goodwill across the UK. Now workers at
foodbanks set up to fght pandemic hunger are worried that they’re being left behindWe mourn the death of Argentinian street paper
fgurehead Patricia Merkin‘She was a brilliant
woman. A righteous
legend from Buenos Aires’
10 | BIGISSUE.COM FROM 24 AUGUST 2020news.
Since March, 144 food aid organisations have joined the
Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) – with a third of
those created in response to Covid-19 poverty.
The Food Standards Agency found that the crisis had
tipped households which were ‘just managing’ to make
ends meet into food insecurity, with up to one in 10
people forced to turn to foodbanks in June.
But as restrictions ease and financial hardship starts to
impact more households, foodbanks are beginning to see
support dry up.
IFAN reported that a drop in supermarket donations,
furloughed volunteers returning to work and local
authorities winding up food aid projects signalled a
problem for organisations providing immediate support
to families in need.
They saw a 148 per cent increase in the need for
emergency food parcels between February and May this
year, triggering a network of ‘pop-up’ foodbanks – but
they are seeing no sign of demand decreasing despite
being set up as temporary measures.
And they’re calling for the government to “do morethan temporarily mitigate food poverty” through the
normalisation of foodbanks – by committing to cash
grants for people on low incomes rather than making
them dependent on charity for food.
Foodbanks are preparing for demand to increase
in the coming months after a quarter of food parcel
recipients told the Office for National Statistics they were
in need after losing their job during the pandemic.
Sabine Goodwin, IFAN coordinator and Big Issue
Changemaker, told us: “Covid-19 has proved, once again,
that relying on foodbanks to fill the holes in our broken
safety net is both unsustainable and inappropriate.
“As compassion fatigue sets in, former donors start
to need foodbanks, supermarkets withdraw support,
any government funding runs dry and deep recession
resets communities’ capacity to help. Foodbank teams are
running out of ways to prepare for the inevitable.
“The government cannot fail to act and provide decent
incomes and adequate benefit payments for the millions
of people impacted by Covid-19 job losses and the
austerity-driven poverty that preceded them.”Theinternationalstreetpapercommunitywas
saddenedtohearthatPatriciaMerkin,founder,
directorandeditoroftheArgentinianstreetpaper
HechoenBuenosAires, hasdied.HechoenBS.AS., which
translatesasMadeinBuenosAires,waslaunchedin
2000 tohelphomelesspeopleearntheirownmoney
bysellinga magazine.
TheArgentinianstreetpaperpaidtributeonits
Facebookpage:“Shewasa warriorlikefewothers
andavisionforprojectsofloveanduniqueinclusion.
Wewillmissyousomuch!!Allthestarsarewithyou.”
PaulMcNamee,editorofTheBigIssuesaid:“It’s
terriblenewsaboutthedeathofPatricia.Shewas
a brilliantwoman.Arighteouslegendwhohadthe
spiritofArgentinatoher.Shewastotallyfearless
andoneoftherealglobalfigureheadsforstreet
papers.Anincrediblelife-force,greatcompany,
funnyandfierce.Abitofjoyhasbeenextinguished.
Shewillbemissedbysomany,notleastthepoorest
inArgentina.”
OurthoughtsandgoodwishesarewiththeHecho
enBS.AS.teamandPatricia’sfriendsandlovedones.‘Com assion
fati ue’ fears
for foodbanks
The Covid-19 lockdown inspired an outpouring of goodwill across the UK. Now workers at
foodbanks set up to fght pandemic hunger are worried that they’re being left behindWemournthedeathofArgentinianstreetpaper
fgureheadPatriciaMerkin‘She was a brilliant
woman. A righteous
legend from Buenos Aires’
10 | BIGISSUE.COM FROM 24 AUGUST 2020