Provocare Coaching

Before I open this can of worms, I first congratulate all those working hard in the food relief space during COVID19. The collaboration and effort are outstanding! There is no doubt about how necessary it has been to address this problem–we saw so many people reaching out for support.

As COVID19 lockdowns end, we remember it’s always good to be prepared and make sure you are as well-trained for this type of situation should it happen again!

On the issue of food poverty, we cannot afford any more delays; our efforts must now target underlying systemic problems. Food poverty has always existed, but like many issues, it was unable to get traction as a priority issue before the pandemic. It is a shame social isolation and loneliness wasn’t given as much attention as food, but that is a subject for another day.

COVID19 made food affordability and accessibility challenges more visible because a wider body of people was housebound or lacking supplies in the market after panic buying. The response was slow at first but subsequently outstanding as it helped many by providing them with essential items they needed.

It’s time to make sure that our efforts focus on tackling the systemic causes of food poverty and not just band-aiding symptoms during a COVID19 emergency or any future ones for which we’re all now better prepped!

The provision of food relief in the city was covered like never before. There was a visible oversupply for some people and gaps for others.  However, was the need as dire and in the scale that it was made out to be? At first, it probably was, especially when shops had empty shelves. However, I suspect that as time progressed started to mask other issues.  I wondered if this was about the recipients, or was it about providers and political operatives need for relevance and visibility?

The volume and effort needed to secure supplies, cook, buy ingredients for meals, or deliver them are crazy! Everyone who worked in that space deserves our collective gratitude.

It will be interesting to see if this effort lasts or will we ‘go back to distributing unhealthy second-hand scraps again after lockdown goes and austerity kicks in.

Do you remember those days when Food quality, hygiene, safety, health, and culturally appropriate provision appeared to be a secondary concern by some providers?

I often ponder throughout this period, who is benefiting most from food relief?

Is it the Government who rather pay big charities for meals that they can get their poverty porn picture with instead of giving  people decent income and choice

Is it the volunteers and or the providers who need to be seen to be doing something that takes much energy but is relatively easy and tangible and currently ‘sexy’ to deliver?  (don’t forget your Instagram post now)

Or is it even the MR big food industry who need to be seen ticking a social responsibility box rather than reduce their mass wastage and overpricing?

One food relief provider boasted in a meeting of their $40,000 a day spent in a relatively small outlet and how they provide for all clients without question. The no barriers approach is what makes them so popular with people on tight budgets yet leaves the costly provision open to potential exploitation and others missing out.

On a side note, what they spent in a week would cover the costs to fund A community centres for one year. The community centre’s everyone struggles to resource, even though these have far greater reach and impact!  (Yes, Bias comes with being an EO of a small centre – I’m aware of this, but you know how things go!)

Food banks are a lifeline for some, but the question remains: is it time to change the strategic course? Or should Food relief shops, banks, pop-ups continue despite their potential shortcomings and expense?

Food poverty is a serious issue that needs to be addressed,  but studies have evidenced current approaches of food banks over many years that have damaged people’s dignity, health and do not address the root cause. Yet despite that evidence, the sector pursues this answer like it is a  silver bullet.

When success is measured by how many people request a food package rather than how many people do not require it, you know that it’s time for a re-think. The high demand (and supply) is not an outcome to celebrate, but it should be a reason for a mass outcry and political action.  It is a needless situation, embarrassing and shameful.

In our various community sector roles and our politicians, it’s time to consider how we move beyond benevolence and find real long-term solutions, or we may be in danger of doing more harm than good.

• Emergency food provision should not become ‘business as usual or become a feature of any modern community, and we need to all work together to address income security (cash) as the policy of pursuit.
• We need to understand the scale and causes of food insecurity and everything surrounding it (COVID19 aside). Work on this should commence now, not waiting on the next crisis, This Includes identifying those in genuine need verse those who are potentially ‘misusing’ the current provisions for whatever other complex reasons
• Strategies need to be developed to ensure accessibility, affordability, transportability of food for our vulnerable community members.
• We need to fight for Equity to ensure all people have the financial means to access food and other essential household staples.
• The capacity and opportunity for residents to make healthy choices, budget and increase their self-resilience is the preferred community development model to being overly benevolent.
• Like all matters, those who have faced food insecurity should be involved in shaping and delivering food security and should be provided opportunities to contribute.
• Middle-class do-gooders and decision-makers need to put their egos aside and put the recipients of services at the planning and decision-making table. Whatever happened to the community development principles of doing with rather than for?

Lasting solutions in whatever shape must promote dignity and choice and help them transition away from relying on constant relief. Emergency relief should be acute, not a chronic state that individuals, families, and communities find themselves in and response strategies should reflect this.

I understand that not everyone will agree with me on this, and I respect their opinions. However, we the risk of doing more harm than good need to be considered through asking critical questions about our approach before just handing out freebies blindly instead of tackling root causes

Please share your thoughts, ideas, counterpoints, below.