Erik J on 01 May 2021
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Q. Have you ever used a food bank?
Yes
Q. What would have helped you avoid using one?
I am a single parent father with a 14 year old daughter. Since my partner left around 5 years ago I found budgeting extremely difficult as she was the only full time worker. We do not have any close family or friends that we can ask for help. When the pandemic started things became unmanagable, It was my daughter that spoke to a worker at a young carers group that she attends and they put us in touch with a food bank. To start with I found it very hard to accept the fact that I needed this help, but it was a life line that I feel I could not have managed without. For the first time since my partner left we were able to eat fresh healthy food which has made a huge difference to both of us. I will not say that life is now perfect as there are still bills to pay and school uniform to buy that is always a struggle due to the cost of having to use a uniform provider. However with out the use of a food bank I really do not think we could have managed to survive the pandemic as we have nowhere else to ask for help or the confidence to ask if there were someone to turn to. I believe there should be more help and advise for people that is easy to access and to understand so we are able to make a difference to our own lives.
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