Foodbank
'Because of Foodbank I still have hope'
In the Pecan offices there’s a room which is a lifeline for some of Peckham’s poorest residents. And it’s stacked floor to ceiling with packets, cans and boxes of food.
When you’re living below the poverty line, it can take just one missed paycheque, a delayed benefit payment or an unexpected bill and you struggle to put food on the table.
In December 2009, with the help of local churches, Pecan launched the Peckham Foodbank. Its aim: to provide people with emergency food for three days, the time it takes for statutory services to kick in.
Many individuals are referred by other agencies. All the food is donated by the public – churches, supermarkets, local groups, and schools. And, in the eight months following its launch, the Foodbank distributed over 3.5 tonnes of food to some 839 individuals.
Melissa had bailiffs knocking at her door and couldn’t afford to buy food or clothes, or to go out. She and her two-year-old daughter came to Foodbank for help.
Foodbank manager Lurliene was on hand to help, providing her with food and introducing her to Christians Against Poverty, a charity that helps people who are in serious debt.
‘Within a week my world had turned around,’ explains Melissa. ‘Me and my daughter were eating three meals a day and I was able to get a debt relief order.’
Foodbank goes far beyond the simple provision of food by offering support, counselling and prayer. For Melissa it has made all the difference. ‘With the weekly support and prayers, I have gone on to secure a job with Southwark Council,’ she says. ‘Because of Foodbank I now have hope.’
