Foodbank for Kent

There is clear evidence that some people in Kent people go hungry. Children, people on low incomes, older people, age is no barrier to food poverty. Nor is status or ethnicity. And yet, food manufacturers and retailers throw tons of perfectly good food away every day which ends up on landfill sites. It is a shocking waste of resources. It is an indictment of our society that anyone should go hungry.

It has become fashionable to 'knock' Christians. Yet it is Christian groups which day in and day out are meeting the needs of the hungry, meeting the needs of those the State has failed abysmally.

I have been undertaking research in Tunbridge Wells and so far I have information from 14 Christian organisations which provide food, free of charge, to those in need. All this food is either donated by Christians or purchased from food retailers by churches/organisations. Hundreds of people are helped but much more can, indeed must be done.

Today, I visited Maidstone and was impressed by the work the churches are doing in that town to alleviate hunger. The work of 'Food for Thought' which is part of Maidstone Christian Care is particularly noteworthy as it does receive food from commercial organisations.

It is important to understand that hunger is often the symptom of deeper or other problems: debt, family breakdown, unemployment, alcohol and/or drug addiction, homelessness...the list can be added to.

We must challenge statutory and voluntary organisations to mobilise to overcome food poverty. Will YOU join in the challenge?