Donegal-based charities say they are facing unprecedented challenges in supporting families facing food inequality.
As grocery inflation hits 16.6%, food poverty has emerged as a daily issue for the Donegal Food Response Network.
The realities of the crisis were discussed at a Food Equality Forum hosted by Sláintecare and DLDC’s Donegal Food Response Network on Wednesday.
Voices of people who are working daily in the area of food distribution called for urgent action in the area of supports stating: “This is not going away, it is only going to get worse”.
Charities are the coalface reported how families face multiple challenges and increased living costs. Many of those reaching out to the network for food bank support are in full-time employment and are struggling to meet their basic food needs in light of the current cost of living crisis.
Sally Boyce, Cloughaneely Food Bank, said: “Volunteers are playing a critical role in providing food support to families in need, they provide an incredible amount of time and dedication to helping others, but they are struggling to keep up with the demand for food support due to limited resources. Food banks in Donegal need more funding to ensure that families facing food poverty have the support they need and the dignity they deserve.”
At the HSE Food Equality Forum event in the Regional Cultural Centre Letterkenny on Wednesday last are seated from left Donna McGettigan, IDP, Sarah Thompson HSE, Maire Uí Chomhaill, Ionad Naomh Padraig, Patrica Lee, IDP, Niamh Britton, IDP and Margaret Larkin, DLDC. Back from left Joyce Keeney, HSE, Anne Marie Cross, Sláintecare Healthy Communities, Dr. Kerry Gallagher, Food Cloud, Bebhinn Mullins, Clonmany Community Pantry and Steven Ormsby, Cavan County Council. Photo Clive Wasson.
This week’s forum was attended by over 90 people from various sectors; community and voluntary sector, food producers, community gardens, food banks, HSE, LA, academia and the statutory sectors. Key presentations included an overview of policy and practice, models of good practice such as social supermarkets, food hubs, and food banks.
Clear linkages were made between food inequality and health with families at risk of food poverty suffering a disproportionate amount of ill health.
“We need to address the root causes,” said AnnMarie Crosse from Slaintecare Healthy Communities. “This requires a multi-faceted approach, involving food producers, retailers, emergency response, community development initiatives, state sectors and policymakers. Today was the first step in Donegal to bring this collaboration together.”
Patricia Lee, Inishowen Development Partnership added “Access to affordable nutritious food is a human right – let’s make sure that every child in this county sits down to a healthy meal everyday.”
Patrica Lee, IDP. Photo Clive Wasson.
Margaret Larkin, Donegal Local Development Company noted, “Food poverty is a pressing and ever-growing issue in our county and one that the community and voluntary groups that make up DLDC Donegal Food Response Network are dealing with on a daily basis. The Food Equality Forum brought together a diverse range of stakeholders to develop a collaborative approach to addressing this urgent issue. We must continue to work together to ensure that all members of our community have access to affordable, healthy food, and that we address the root causes of food inequality.”
The aim of the forum was to develop a collaborative approach to addressing food inequality in County Donegal by sharing existing learning and identifying models of good practice.
A call was made to ensure that policymakers and food retailers listened to the voices on the ground, supported community-based approaches but also developed forward-thinking effective joined-up social, environmental, and economic policies.
Attention was placed on the need to address the root causes of food inequality with the need to ensure ‘wrap around’ support models with clearly identified ‘ referral pathways ‘ where people are supported to break the cycle of food poverty.
Conversations around the kitchen table: Bebhinn Mullins, Clonmany Community Pantry, Dr. Kerry Gallagher, Food Cloud, Margaret Larkin, DLDC, Maire Uí Chomhaill, Ionad Naomh Padraig, Dr. Kerry Gallagher, Food Cloud, Siobhan Patten, Health and Wellbeing Anne Marie Cross, Sláintecare Healthy Communities, Steven Ormsby, Cavan County Council and Niamh Britton, IDP at the HSE, Healthy Communities Food Equality Forum event in the Regional Cultural Centre Letterkenny on Wednesday last. Photo Clive Wasson.
The Donegal Food Response Network is facilitated by Donegal Local Development and works with 18 local charities and community groups to develop a collaborative approach to addressing food inequality in the county.
For more information on DLDC’s Donegal Food Response Network or to make a donation to your local food bank, visit www.donegalfoodresponse.ie.