Increasing number of Dutch dependent on food banks 31/03/2008 00:00

Banks see 30 percent increase in 2007

31 March 2008

The number of people resorting to food banks has risen by 30 percent in the past year.

In early 2007, 10,000 families week visited the food banks weekly, but the number had risen to 13,000 by the end of that year.

The first Dutch food banks were established six years ago. They were intended for families which were unable to make ends meet.

A spokesperson for the Food Bank Foundation says the increase is mainly due to improved accessibility. The increased publicity for food banks has helped lower the threshold further.

[Copyright Radio Netherlands 2008]

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