A CHARITY providing emergency food parcels to families in Harlow at times of crisis has reported a a 35 per cent rise in the number of requests for help.
Harlow Foodbank said it is currently having to supply 1.7 tonnes of food to around 190 people a month.
The biggest increase is among people who have been made redundant and need extra support to feed their families.
“Around 42 per cent of people who come to us for emergency food are those waiting for their benefits, and in particular those who have recently found themselves out of work,” said director of community services Gary Knott
“After signing on it can take between two and six weeks for benefits money to come through, leaving families short.
“With the extra pressures from rising costs of food and fuel and freezes on wages for those still working, many people are finding it difficult to fund the cost of basic living right now, including being able to provide their children with something to eat.”
The Foodbank – which works in partnership with a number of local churches, schools and businesses – relies on donations of food from the public which it stores and then distributes to people in need.
Bur Mr Knott said it was struggling to cope with the increased demand.
“We desperately need a warehouse donated to us to store all the extra food we need or we will really struggle this harvest to keep it all,” he said. “We also need more volunteers and, of course, as many donations as possible.”
He added: “Many people who come to us for help do so through no fault of their own. Our job is to provide a stopgap to help those families get through these distressing times.”
Harlow MP Robert Halfon said he was concerned about the increased numbers of families in the town struggling to cope.
“Although unemployment has gone down overall in Harlow over the past year, the increase in numbers shows all too clearly the difficulties some families are facing,” he said.
“I have already worked with Foodbank and the Government about making it easier for Jobcentres to distribute food vouchers.
“I will also raise this problem, which has been going on for far too many years, of delayed benefits with the welfare minister to see what can be done to speed up so people don't have to wait in this way.”
