A former Garda, who now works to tackle food poverty in the midlands, has been contacted by a number of children seeking help in securing basic food items for their families.
Ken Smollen said that three children aged between 12 and 15 got in touch with him for support in the last three months.
“One of those was living with his grandmother. While it is good that they know they can look for help, it is sad that they have this burden,” said Ken, who is also a county councillor.
After his retirement as a Garda at Portlaoise station in 2012, Ken began attending the courts to support families in house repossession cases. “At one of the courts, I encountered a family about to give back their home to the bank,” he said.
“The mother told me they were going to live in a car. I subsequently discovered they were going to Dublin as there was nowhere in the midlands they could get food.
“Recently I was talking to a barrister who told me that a huge number of farm families are on the list over the next few months in vulture fund repossession cases. While farm families have not yet approached me for help, I have no doubt that there are some that need help.
“A lot of people feel embarrassed and ashamed about seeking help, but the service we provide is completely confidential.
“The volunteers helping to package the food don’t know where I go with it,” said Ken, who was waiting on a delivery of nine pallets of food from Unilever when he spoke with Agriland.
Food poverty in Ireland
“Yesterday we received a call from family number 1,000 on our list since 2016, and that is not even scratching the surface. Research in 2013 by Mandate and Unite trade unions found that 600,000 people were experiencing food poverty every day on the island of Ireland,” Ken continued.
“The figures indicated that in Offaly, there were 8,900 people who didn’t have enough food, with 8,800 in Laois and 9,300 in Westmeath.”
Ken said that National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway research indicated that over 750,000 people on the island did not have enough to eat daily, with half of that number being children.
“While the figures vary, food poverty is a hidden crisis. Most of this stems back to the financial crisis of more than a decade ago. People are still fighting to keep a roof over their heads,” he said.
“People are rationing food and women in particular are going without food up to three days a week just so they can feed their families.”
His family rescue teams welcome donations of non-perishable items such as pasta; tins of dessert rice; beans; fish; boil-in-the-bag rice; and biscuits, which are stored in a unit in Clara, Co. Offaly.
Companies, schools and organisations provide food which is packaged by the family rescue teams.
“A lot of it is delivered early in the morning or late at night, as confidentiality is so important. I’ve seen kids waiting up for a bowl of cornflakes and tearing open a cheap packet of biscuits and I have been thanked by young kids for the food,” said Ken.
“We also have elderly people who might be seen locally as well-off, going without food. The latest call has come from a disabled man who hasn’t eaten in three days.”
The service is provided 365 days a year, including Christmas Day. Donations are welcome to the KS food appeal Credit Union account.
“This issue is going to last for the next ten years at the very least and our focus is to respond to the need,” Ken concluded.
Further information is available from Ken on 085 1432898.