1/3 Henk Snijders of Food Bank Oss and Environment sees the number of people who come to pick up a food package increase every week (photo: Imke van de Laar)
More and more people are having trouble making ends meet due to rising energy costs and more expensive groceries. That is why the threshold for knocking on the door of the food bank may be lowered. The umbrella organization Food Banks Netherlands will decide on this on Saturday. Food bank Oss and Environment sees the number of people who come to pick up a food package increase every week.
A pack of rice, a bottle of soda and gingerbread disappear in a cardboard box. More packages are packed every week at the food bank Oss and Environment. Henk Snijders of the food bank paints a poignant picture. “Last week we helped 203 households. This week there were 209 and there are already 10 extra on the waiting list for next week.”
“People send their children to school with less food. You don’t wish that on anyone.”
Snijders sees more and more new faces while handing out the food packages. “Previously, people with debts or other problems mainly came here. Now there are also people who simply cannot make ends meet. Who cannot do enough shopping to put a meal on the table or send their children to school with less food. you nobody.”
That is why the food banks in the Netherlands will discuss together on Saturday whether the threshold to obtain a food package should be lowered. Now, for example, a single parent with two children can go to the food bank if they have less than 450 euros per month to spend. That will possibly be 520 euros. For a single person, that amount could shift from 250 to 300 euros.
“Perhaps we can’t help but put a little less in the packages.”
Lowering the threshold seems sorely necessary. But that also creates problems for the food banks. Less and less food is donated. But there may be more mouths to feed. Snijders explains: “That certainly poses a problem. If you have a decrease on the one hand and an increase on the other, then the scales will turn at a certain point. We may have no choice but to add a little less to the packages. stop.”
Yet they remain positive in Oss. “I’m sure it will work. We are faced with a challenge every week and every week it goes well. So that will also work if more people come.”