Poverty. The state of being poor. Most people thankfully never have to experience this. Especially in a place like Northern Ireland. Poverty seems alien to us. After all, we live in a first world country. But actually, it has been found that 1 in 5 people in Northern Ireland live below the poverty line. That’s 20% of the population and 20% too many.  

Due to poverty, many people go hungry in Northern Ireland. Approximately 29% of households find themselves having to sometimes skip meals and around 7% can’t afford fresh fruit and vegetables.  

Food banks don’t prevent poverty but they’re a great deal of help to those who’re in poverty. Emergency food supplies are what prevent many from dying of hunger in Northern Ireland. And they’re needed more than ever. A recent report in February of 2021 found that in November 2020 alone there were 6,480 new claims to universal credit in Northern Ireland.  

That statistic is very worrying when you take into consideration the facts that, a), it’s estimated that 45% of referrals to food banks are from low-income families and people on benefits and, b), many people blame the delays and issues with the distribution of Universal Credits for one of the reasons as to why there’s a rise in people needing food banks, one site claimed.  

Families with children and single parents are some of the most likely groups to rely on food banks. A recent evaluation showed that when young people were not being fed at breakfast or lunch time during school holidays, they ended up having poor health and loss of learning. Children should never go hungry, regardless of their parents’ situation and whether or not they’re in school.

Feeding children isn’t something that can’t be done. From 2017 to 2018, it was recorded that in Northern Ireland alone there were more than 32,000 3-day food parcels handed out. 13,000 of them went to children.

There are quite a number of food banks in Northern Ireland already, however, most of these are referral only. Those in poverty will always need fed and as members of humanity it is our duty to feed them.  

“Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter” – Isaiah 58:7