Women Banned From Food Bank After They Were Caught Filling Bag Six Times In One Day

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, food banks have become more vital than ever, providing nutrients to families who’ve suddenly found themselves unable to put food on the table. It’s a bit of security in a very anxiety-inducing time, and the wonderful companies and people who not only donate food to these banks but also work to distribute the items to those in need. That’s why it’s so disheartening when you hear stories of people taking advantage of these systems, like the two women in Newton-le-Willows in the UK who were caught taking far more than they needed.

1. The women have been banned from Newton Deli. The food bank at Newton Deli, known as the Newton Community Fridge, invites those in need to bring a grocery bag and grab the essentials they require. While there’s generally no cap on what you can pick up, the women caught on the store’s surveillance footage seriously took advantage of that lax policy.
2. They filled up multiple bags six times in a single day. Staff noticed the woman returning six times in one day. Each time they visited, they filled up multiple bags with tons of canned goods, leading employees to ban them from the premises. “We have the whole community to cater for and we can’t allow a selfish minority to destroy this for everyone who is using it appropriately,” Newton Deli manager Marc Faulkner told the Liverpool Echo.
3. The public may no longer have access to the service if things like this keep happening. Faulkner says that while the service is vital to local residents, those who take advantage of it may end up ruining it for everyone. “If this keeps happening we might have to think about restricting access to the public for this service but there are so many people who rely on this service,” he admitted. “If people keeping abusing it like this it may stop people wanting to donate to us. I’ve put several thousands of pounds of my own money into this initiative and I don’t want anyone in the local community to go without. We can’t let a few people ruin this. It’s just very frustrating because we are doing everything we can to help people through these difficult times. This needs to stop now.”
4. People need this service – greed should not come into play. Those who use the food bank should be taking only what they need so that others that are struggling can also benefit. Being greedy or taking advantage of this service should never happen.