YORK Food Bank is preparing for a sharp increase in calls for help over the summer holidays, York Central MP Rachael Maskell has claimed.
She said many parents were turning to the foodbank as they struggled to find the cash to pay for extra meals, usually provided by schools.
Speaking after visiting the Gateway Centre distribution point in Acomb to talk to people using the service and staff providing it, she said 16 families had already been referred to the bank by local schools for help throughout the holidays.
Rachael Maskell visited the food bank at the Gateway Centre in Acomb
She said volunteers worked hard at the foodbank, providing much-needed help for families struggling to manage, and it was great that people from all over York were helping by volunteering and donating food.
But she added: “I am concerned about the number of people including families with young children who are being forced to use the foodbank on a regular basis and the number is increasing not just in York, but all over the country. We are not living in a third world country. The government needs to fix the bigger problem.”
Laura Chalmers, food bank manager, said many families were only just able to survive financially, and during the summer holidays their lack of free school meals put extra strain on their household. "This year we are working closely with our local schools to ensure that nobody is going to skip meals this summer."
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