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Acceptable? Poem written by a person with lived experience of poverty, read by volunteers and food bank staff

19 May 2021

 

Last year, food banks in our network gave out more than 2.5 million emergency food parcels to people in crisis. Almost a million of these were provided for children.

Things like ill health or a job loss can happen to any of us – but if these hit someone when they don’t have enough support in place, it can make it more difficult to afford the essentials.

We can’t let this continue. It’s time to stand up and say that this is unacceptable. And we need you to stand alongside us.

The poem ‘Acceptable’ was written by Caroline, one of the thousands of people who’ve signed up to help us build a hunger free future and who has needed to use a food bank in the past.

“I just didn’t have enough money to live on. I didn’t want to go to a food bank. I was very embarrassed, thinking ‘why am I having to go and get free food?’ I’m not ashamed though because it’s not my fault. And it’s not of my making.”

It’s time for change. To stand together and say that this is unacceptable and that we will build a more just, more compassionate future.

 

The challenge is big, but working together, we can get there.

 

Feeling inspired by Caroline’s poem?

We’ve launched a nationwide writing challenge for kids, asking them to get creative for change and tell us what they think about hunger in the UK.

Poem Competition

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