In the Netherlands, more than one million people live below the poverty line. The food banks temporarily help those who need it the hardest with food packages. Companies, institutions, governments and private individuals help with this. With money, with food, with their services.
Poverty in the Netherlands continues to decline, reports the Social and Cultural Planbureau (The Netherlands Institute for Social Research). The number of poor has decreased from over 1.2 million in 2013 to 939,000 in 2017. This means that 5.3 percent of the Dutch population is poor. Poverty decreases as the economy grows and more people work. However, there are still many people who do not have enough money to buy enough varied food.
The food bank would like to support all those who are eligible for its help. Given the general figures on poverty, a part of the target group is still being missed.
Through cooperation with the municipalities, the people with a benefit are known. In addition, within the criteria of the food bank there is a group without benefits with or without work that is not known and therefore not aimed to approach.