THREAD: Food poverty - the fightback.
We can fight food poverty in our community and at national level. If you are wondering how to do it, here are some of the ways you can make a difference:

• When you donate to a food bank, tell your MP, and point out that citizens should not have to try to fill the gap left by cuts to the welfare state. Ask your MP to raise the issue of the link between food insecurity and benefits, especially Universal Credit, in Parliament.

• If you have children, ask their school what support it gives to those living in food-insecure households. Does the school have a breakfast club? Is there a filling, nutritious lunch available for no more than £2.30 (the free school meals allowance)? ...

... Is drinking water freely available? Do children get enough time to eat their lunch? Does the school discreetly support children who cannot, e.g., afford ingredients for food tech lessons? Does it run a second-hand school uniform service?

• If your local council does not have a meaningful food poverty action plan in place, lobby it to set one up, based on the excellent recommendations here from @UKSustain : https://www.sustainweb.org/foodpoverty/measures/.

• Poverty can be very isolating. Get to know your neighbours, and be sensitive to the fact that single parents, the disabled and the long-term sick in particular might be struggling.

• Challenge the idea that food waste can solve hunger. Point out that producers/retailers need to prevent food waste at source and that everyone deserves the dignity of making their own food choices. Fight for a cash-first approach. More about that here: https://www.foodaidnetwork.org.uk/cash-first-project

• Try to find out what your local food bank needs before you donate. There are often gluts of some items and shortages of others. Remember that some people don’t have cooking facilities, so foods that don’t need cooking, such as instant noodles, are always appreciated.

• Bear in mind that food banks might get a surplus of donations at Christmas and Harvest Festival time but then run low from Feb–March – and in the summer, if they are running a summer project for schools. This is when they need your support the most.

• Food banks prioritise feeding people, naturally. But some food bank clients have pets, and they choose to go hungry themselves rather than see their pet go without. So donations of dog and cat food are always useful too.

• Food co-ops make it easier and cheaper for everyone to buy good food. Details here, if you’re interested in setting one up: https://www.sustainweb.org/foodcoopstoolkit/

• Sign up for news from the Labour Hunger Campaign ( http://www.labourhunger.co.uk ).

• VOTE FOR CHANGE AT THE NEXT ELECTION. Then none of the above will be needed.
Until then, though support the campaigns of the following organisations:
@UKSustain @IFAN_UK @Food_Foundation @NELMAcampaigns @magic_breakfast @churchpoverty @jrf_uk @TrussellTrust @CPAGUK

Ending poverty is not about charity; it's about justice.
Thank you for supporting the fight to help people access sufficient nutritious food with dignity. If we have missed out any campaigns, or any ideas for tackling food insecurity, please add them in a tweet below.