The Welsh Assembly Government has been asked by Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood to provide funding for the food bank network.
During questions to Social Justice Minister Carl Sargeant, Leanne asked for immediate financial assistance for the Trussell Trust which runs ten food banks across Wales, including in Tylorstown, Cardiff and Pontyclun in her South Wales Central region.
The trust, which donates three days’ worth of nutritionally balanced food to applicants, plans to establish another ten food banks in response to demand. The charity has to date been frustrated in their attempts to find sources of funding for the expansion.
During a plenary session earlier this week, Leanne said: “Money is needed now to support an expansion of the network so that people in crisis are able to access the food that they need.
“Only £170,000 is needed to fund an expansion of the network for three years, but funding sources have proved to be elusive for this group. In particular, it has been impossible to tap into the Communities First network because of the way in which the network is structured, namely its bottom-up approach.
“Minister, will you agree to explore ways of providing the necessary cash—it is a relatively small amount of cash—for this organisation to expand and meet the growing needs of people in acute crisis in Wales?”
In reply, Mr Sargeant said: “…..I will consider the innovative ways in which organisations try to eradicate poverty and bring new ideas to the delivery of service for the needy. I will look at this issue closely, particularly with regard to the food bank.”
