Friday, October 11, 2013

Red Cross In First Britain Food Aid Since WWII

Olivia Simpson
10/11/13
5:09 pm

            In London, the Red Cross announced that they are going to collect and distribute food aid in Britain this winter for the first time since World War II as the financial crisis and austerity hit the poor. Volunteers from the British Red Cross are going to launch a campaign in supermarkets where they will ask shoppers to donate dry and canned foods that will be distributed by British charities. A representative from Red Cross claims that they agreed to help on the basis of “strong evidence of an increased need for support on food poverty issues”. The charity has provided food to refugees and flood victims but has not taken part in any nationwide food distribution since WWII. The charity said 5 million people live in poverty in Britain today, out of a total population of 63.7 million.
            It is good that the British Red Cross is taking action on food poverty issues because it is one that hasn’t been well addressed since WWII. For this organization, this is just the beginning. They have begun to consider whether they ought to be doing more on today’s food poverty challenge and it looks like they are headed in the right direction by providing aid. A lack of food is detrimental to families and nations. More organizations should follow the British Red Cross’s lead and begin to help.


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