MK Food Bank has seen a rise in the number of people it is supporting as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
So far in 2022, MK Food Bank has supported over 5,000 people with emergency food parcels.
With the rising cost of living and the affects of the pandemic taking a toll on households across the UK, Food Banks have seen a sharp rise in people needing their support.
In Milton Keynes, MK Food Bank have recorded an increase this winter (January to March) of 14% on the same period in 2021 - which itself was the food bank's busiest winter to date.
Compared to 2019 figures of the same period, MK Food Bank are now supporting 37% more people.
Statistics given to MKFM by MK Food Bank suggest that the cost-of-living crisis is having a larger impact on families than the midst of the pandemic, with 14% more households needing support than in a full lockdown.
MK Food Bank receives around 200 calls on average per week, currently they say at least 30% of these mention being unable to afford heating and food.
The Food Banks new service, 'top-up shops', allows households struggling financially to buy food cheaply without having to rely on food parcels. This service has seen over 350 more households needing to use it than before.
MK Food Bank relies solely on donations of food and money from local schools, churches, businesses, organisations and individuals and every single item or penny given makes a difference.
Louisa Hobbs, Operations Manager at MK Food Bank, told MKFM: "If the cost of living crisis is not tackled, and particularly if the energy price cap rises again in October this year, we predict that need for our services could be as much as 30% higher next winter.
"While there is a lot of generosity in Milton Keynes, current levels of donations are likely not be enough to meet the extra demand this crisis is causing, and we are ramping up efforts to raise donations of food and money so we can continue to support local families and individuals who are struggling."
If you need help and support from MK Food Bank, or want to find out how you can get involved, click here.
