Kirkcaldy Foodbank could be forced to cut the level of help it offers as the cost of living crisis bites.
The service is facing a perfect storm of increased demand combined with fewer donations as people tighten their belts.
And volunteers say they cannot sustain their monthly outgoings much longer.
They have already started offering a choice of either fresh or tinned food rather than both.
And they are now considering dropping toiletries from their parcels as they spend more on food.
Trustee Joyce Leggate said: “We’re in a sad situation and we’ve maybe got about a year of reserves left.”
The Kirkcaldy Foodbank situation emerged as the Trussell Trust revealed it provided 200,000 food parcels across Scotland in the last year – a 30% increase on five years ago.
More than 70,000 of those were for children.
Kirkcaldy Foodbank feeds 1,100 a month
Kirkcaldy Foodbank is not part of the trust’s network but runs in a similar way.
And it has seen a 30% increase in the number of people seeking help in the last two years.
It now has an average of 1,100 visitors a month, 36% of whom are children.
Universal Credit cuts in November pushed many families into despair.
And the rising cost of food and fuel means poverty levels are increasing.
Joyce said: “Our expenditure on food has gone up by about 68%.
“We’re seeing people we haven’t seen before, people who have been coping reasonably well but all of a sudden can’t.
“Every month we’re noticing an increase. It’s just going up and up and up.”
March 2022 was our busiest month ever. The latest data report is published on our website.https://t.co/4uciYD34co pic.twitter.com/PjaTMZT35i
— Kirkcaldy Foodbank (@kdyfoodbank) April 15, 2022
However, the cost of living has increased for everyone.
And many people who normally donate items to the foodbank can no longer do so.
Cash donations remain steady for now, but volunteers have switched to buying foods in cheaper supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl to stretch the money further.
“Our running costs are really worrying us,” said Joyce.
“We’re looking at it very closely.
“We can ride the storm at the moment but our monthly deficit is not sustainable.”
How you can help
The Trussell Trust fears the situation will get worse across the UK as the cost of living crisis continues.
It says one in three people on Universal Credit are already skipping meals and warns people cannot wait any longer for support.
Here’s how you can help.
- Become a collection point – Kirkcaldy Foodbank can provide crates for staff and customer donations. It also has posters and leaflets.
- Use one of the foodbank’s donation stations around the town, including in Asda, Morrisons and Co-op branches.
- Donate money, either through standing order or via Just Giving.
- Become a volunteer.
A list of required food is on the foodbank’s website.
Polly Jones, the Trussell Trust’s head in Scotland, said: “We should all be free from hunger.
“And yet people are telling us they are skipping meals to feed their children and turning off the heating so they can afford internet for their kids to do their homework.
“This isn’t right and foodbanks in our network are telling us this is only set to get worse.”
