An increasing number of people are forced to use Dutch food banks

Food banks in various Dutch cities report a marked increase in the number of people who turn to them for help, WELL reports.

Many in the Netherlands have difficulty surviving

A recent investigation by c WELL found that food banks in The Hague, Den Bosch, Groningen, Rotterdam and Limburg have increased the number of people who register with them for more help and support – and the number of registered Dutch food banks is expected to increase in the coming weeks.

This sudden increase may be due to several different factors, primarily the high cost of living and rising prices in the Netherlands, as well as the constant arrival of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Dutch food banks are confident they can keep up with demand

This latest increase came when food banks were already forced to provide more families after the coronavirus pandemic, when thousands were suddenly faced with unemployment. In 2019, 151,000 people received support from food banks. In 2020, that number grew by more than 10,000; in Amsterdam, the number of people relying on food banks grew by 40-50 percent in the spring of 2020.

This was announced by a spokesman for the Amsterdam Food Bank WELL that the number of people in the Netherlands relying on food banks is likely to grow in the coming weeks and months, the Hague spokesman explained that they are more than able to cope with the growing number: “We will reach a maximum only when we reach 2,200 up to 2,300 packages per week. We now distribute about 1,850 packages a week. ”

Want to know how you can help those in need? Check out our guide to food banks in the Netherlands.