‘We are supporting families who are working but struggling’

THE NEW poor are people who work, have a house, drive cars, but struggle to make ends meet, according to recent work carried out by the People’s Foodbank in Bluebell.

This is backed up by new research from the Central Statistics Office, that shows households with the lowest incomes experienced higher inflation, up to 7.6 per cent compared to the average rate of 6.7 per cent.

Inflation, covid, Brexit, the price of electricity, gas and other fuels jumping by 46.7 per cent, rising interest rates, rents, you name it, every which way you look, costs are up, desperate times.

While foodbanks normally help people living below the breadline, that line has moved up significantly over the last year, and many who wouldn’t normally countenance contacting outreach support before, are now doing so to put food on the table.

“On average we are adding five people a week to our list,” said Tommy Coombes, manager of Bluebell Community Development Project (CDP) and a co-founder of the foodbank.

“It is a new poor, people who are embarrassed, and don’t want to be taking from poorer people. Prices are up across the board. It is a multiplicity effect.

“We are supporting families who are working, have houses, cars, but are struggling. A lot of the time we are working ahead of drop-offs. There is a stigma attached to hand-outs. We have a van that is unmarked, to try and maintain dignity for these people.”

The foodbank, started from humble beginnings at the start of the pandemic, pastor Jimmy Dunne, of Bluebell Community Church, helping vulnerable people via the boot of his car.

Over time, it become more in demand with deliveries sometimes made to people outside of Dublin.

Eventually, the foodbank established a solid base in Park West, from which deliveries are made daily.

“We are doing about two tonnes of food and delivering to 250-300 families per week,” said Mr Coombes.

“We also support outreach services, like the Muslim women’s group, and other groups, giving them in bulk what is left over from Foodcloud.

“This morning [Monday] we had vans out in Dún Laoghaire. We are trying to link families in with local projects.”

The service covers Bluebell, Inchicore, Crumlin, Drimnagh, Walkinstown, Ballyfermot, but increasingly stretches further afield, previously helping people in places like Wexford, Drogheda and Dundalk.

Coombes, who is also a coordinator with Bluebell Community Council, says the foodbank has been a real success story, praising pastor Jimmy Dunne for his sterling work on the ground.