Poverty and Mental Illness aren’t going to win many awards for being the most light-hearted of subject matters. I also won’t be receiving any prizes for my expertise in either field. There are cleverer people, books, websites and television programmes that will give you much more information than I could in a month of Sundays. However, both topics are closely linked and very relevant. Considering how quickly the number of people using Foodbanks has risen in recent years, it seems like a fairly good idea to have a quick look at a few important facts.
In the last year 1,084,604 people have used a food bank in the UK. In 2010, 61,648 had to do the same. That means that an increasingly high number of children, mums, dads, grandparents, brothers, sisters, cousins, next-door neighbours and friends are teetering over the line of poverty. A quick glance at those worrying numbers will give you an idea of how many more people have to deal with the ongoing stress that so often accompanies economic hardship.
The World Health Organisation tells us that those experiencing hunger are more likely to suffer from mental health problems. It would be inaccurate to say that financial problems cause mental health issues; that isn’t the case. However, according to the Depression Alliance, factors such as unemployment, redundancy and financial difficulties can certainly contribute to the development of mental illness. Needless to say, ongoing financial problems make everyday life more of a struggle which leads to increased stress levels and self-esteem issues.
Unfortunately people living with a mental illness are also considered to be at highest risk of experiencing poverty due to challenges such as unemployment or changes in benefits. Discrimination is another common problem for people faced with mental health issues or poverty; social stigma can act as a catalyst for feelings of isolation and low self-esteem (poverty.ac.uk).
It’s for the above reasons that the work of the Trussell Trust is more important than ever. Food banks offer different channels of support to people living in crisis. Along with an all-important emergency food parcel, food bank clients are given access to the signposting services which can help to break the cycle of poverty. Fortunately in the last year 42,000 people volunteered with a food bank and more than 10,000 tonnes of food have been donated to food banks in the last year alone.
It’s important to acknowledge the escalating levels of poverty in the UK but it’s also empowering to know that you could make a positive contribution to your local food bank. If you would like to get involved, please visit http://www.trusselltrust.org/ to find out how you can help local people living in poverty.
Manchester Central Foodbank 