Rising numbers of users, a shortage of products and also a lack of money. Food banks have a hard time. But thanks to the listeners and viewers of RTV Drenthe, the food banks can move forward again in the coming period. Almost 5,000 euros has been collected in recent months.
“This all goes to the purchase of food,” responds a happy Klaas Waninge from Food Bank Hart van Drenthe. “We are happy with all the people who have donated.” Bert Koetsier van Zuidwest-Drenthe adds: “We are always looking for healthy items. For example, there are fairly large amounts to look when adding fruit and vegetables to life packages.”
The winter months were dominated by the Food Bank at RTV Drenthe. During Super Saturday, 2678 crates with sustainable foods were already collected in mid -December. But the promotion was not over yet.
“We held a winter fair during the Drentse 1000. Visitors were able to donate there,” says director/editor -in -chief Marc Visch of RTV Drenthe. “In addition, the first month of the year the food bank was central during our radio game Sam Sam. For example, we raised money in all sorts of way and the nice amount of 4819.99 euros was released there.”
It is an amount that is more than welcome at the Food Banks Noordenveld, Zuidoost-Drenthe, Hart van Drenthe and Zuidwest-Drenthe. Everywhere they see that the number of users of the food banks is increasing. In addition, there is still a large group of people who live at or below the poverty level and does not yet use the packages of life.
“At present, more than 420 households use the Food Bank in the Emmen region,” says Ton Sleeking of the Southeast Drenthe region. He is not satisfied with that. “If you look at our region, about 5,000 people live on or below the poverty line. Last year we helped 1636 people. So there is a big gap between the number of people who come to us and the number of people who can use it.”
There is also a suspicion in Noordenveld that there are more people who need help, but do not go to the Food Bank. Despite all the brochures that lie with general practitioners, churches, in canteens and town halls. Monique Evertz: “We think it is because of shame, because everyone has heard from the food bank. This is a very stubborn problem. So if you know people who live at or under the poverty level, they will point to us. We are happy to help.”