In November last year, an emergency letter was sent to the national working group on behalf of the Zeeland food banks. De Kraker explains that the letter stated, among other things, that it cannot be the case that by increasing child or energy allowances, people will get into problems and will then no longer be able to get a food package from the food bank. “We think that’s crazy reasoning,” she says in the radio program Zeeland wakes up.
Officially, the rule is that you are entitled to the food bank if you have a maximum of 10 euros per day to spend as a customer.
Consultations have now taken place with the national organization of food banks. “They actually completely agreed with us,” says De Kraker. It is therefore possible that the criterion of 10 euros will change in the future; the working group will first enter into discussions with other provinces.
The practice at the Zeeland food banks is now that the 10 euros is seen as a guideline. We look at what someone needs per situation. “You either need it or you don’t need it,” says De Kraker. “That is why we treat it generously.”
In Zeeland, as with other food banks in the country, there has been a slight decrease in visitors. “Then you are talking about about twenty customers,” says De Kraker. The food bank on Walcheren has around 200 customers. “That decline is fantastic, because the fewer people the better. But it must be the case that customers drop out because they really have enough disposable income. And that is of course always the question.”
