Packs of packs of Christmas wreaths. Or those delicious large chocolate cakes. At the Hart voor Minima Foundation in Helmond, they perish. They are also happy with it, but the healthy food is no longer there. Fresh fruit and vegetables are no longer supplied to the foundation free of charge. The shortage is so bad that the founders, Miranda and Patrick Verkoelen, have decided to stop. “We wanted to give people vitamins,” says Patrick.
They started their foundation more than seven years ago. The Helmonders were so grateful for Miranda and Patrick’s food bank that the couple was named Brabant people of the Year by Omroep Brabant. They helped hundreds of families out of the fire. But in recent years the foundation had to pull out all the stops with the volunteers to get some decent food.
Normally the Jumbo supplied the healthier food. But in many supermarkets, the healthier food that is at risk of being thrown away is now being sold to reduce food waste. The foundation therefore often misses out. “We have always been very grateful for the Jumbo. But now unfortunately we have to buy it ourselves and we know how much products cost these days.”
Patrick and Miranda stand for healthy food, they would rather close the doors than just hand out cookies and chocolate. “It has been quite a discussion,” says Patrick. “While the necessary tears have also been shed. But we will have to make peace with it. Something will come our way again.”
Food bank volunteers are very upset about the closure. “We still have the same club as when we started more than 7 years ago,” says Patrick. The food bank also gets a lot of reactions from families they once helped. “And they are now independent again. That’s great. They were able to use our products for six months. That’s what we did it for.”
Many people who come to the food bank are very concerned. “There is actually nothing left in Helmond,” says a volunteer. “There is no real food bank.” A big dilemma, says Patrick. “There is a social supermarket, but no food bank. You have to pay in the supermarket. And that for such a large city. You have to be able to help the few hundred families who are here.”
Patrick and Miranda are now preparing their budget to be able to hand out two more healthy food. A big loss for their clients Marlies and Karin. Marlies is afraid that her kitchen cupboards will be even emptier. “Getting something tasty is of course nice, but you really need food.” Karin doesn’t know yet how she’s going to solve it. “I’ll have to buy more again. Where should we go now?”
ALSO READ: Food banks in a bind: more customers, but less full packages