The Empty Sandwich

At Food Bank Aid, we see and hear every day the impact that food insecurity has on individuals and families. And our network knows well that the people seeking support aren’t always who you might expect.

Rob had a good job at the Head Office of a national UK manufacturer, considered to be the expert in his field and the go-to guy.

When his wife Helen became ill, she was forced to give up her job to keep up with the gruelling demands of her treatment schedule. This meant that the financial burden of their home, and the wellbeing of their two young children, now depended on Rob’s salary alone.

But Rob was also now needed to support with childcare on days when Helen wasn’t well enough.

To gain more flexibility, Rob switched to a consultancy role which gave him time to take care of things like the school run and allowed him to be there for Helen during the day. Plus, he could keep the same clients he already knew, just in a new way.

The new structure of his days helped, but Rob now faced new challenges.

His clients were slow payers and didn’t always settle their invoices on time. The money was due to come in, but the timing was unpredictable. Unreliable.

Rob started having cash flow problems, and having used all the options available to him, he started struggling for money.

And then came the week when the fridge was empty.

At Food Bank Aid, we believe no family should have to face an empty fridge, or an empty sandwich.

That’s why we buy and distribute thousands of tins of tuna and corned beef, eggs and mayonnaise, jars of peanut butter, honey and jam to the food banks we support. These everyday essentials help families make tasty, sustaining sandwiches for their children.

Because a sandwich should be more than just something to fill a lunchbox. It should be one less thing for a family to worry about.

Sadly, stories like Rob’s are not unusual. A family already worried about an unwell loved one should not also have to struggle to get food on the table for their children.

Across the 30+ London food banks we support, over 30,000 households benefit from food purchased by Food Bank Aid.

Your support helps make sure families receive the food and relief they need when times are toughest.

Help us make sure no sandwich goes empty.

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