Term of the Day: SUPPLEMENTAL VENDING

This blog is no stranger to positive, uplifting stories.  It has, however, been a while since I have written on something uplifting, so I decided today was the day to do so.

The focus of today's blog is an overseas charity that addresses a serious problem in many parts of the world, homelessness.  The charity is called Action Hunger and bills itself as "a charity with a new approach to combating homelessness".  Based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, its first project is a series of vending machines strictly for the homeless to provide necessities 24/7.



The idea is that homeless individuals must check in with a local homeless shelter once a week in order to qualify for a keycard to access the vending machine.  In other words, homeless shelters are not giving out the keycards willy-nilly.  My understanding is, if a homeless person does not continue to check in with a participating homeless shelter, his/her keycard will be deactivated, thus halting access to the vending machine's items.  This way, the vending machines, which are not intended to replace the work of shelters and other organizations, are merely a supplement to them.  The weekly check-in keeps those who are homeless with access to other programs and any available means to get back on their feet again via those shelters.  The use of the keycards also provides information on which items are needed more than others or less than others, which can help to refine the program.

The first Action Hunger vending machine was installed in Nottingham at the Broadmarsh shopping center last December.

It had its supporters and detractors.  The Nottingham city council was one of those entities that was not enthused with the machine, calling it "ill-informed" and "misguided" and an over-simplified addressing of the complex issue of homelessness which encouraged people to remain living on the streets.  Those involved with the installing and the stocking of the machine said it was not intended to address all aspects of the homelessness issue.  The Broadmarsh shopping center's general manager said they had agreed to a trial of the machine to get it off the ground, but not to having it as a permanent fixture there.  In April, the city council voted to have the Action Hunger vending machine removed, and it was.

Undaunted, Action Hunger has set its sights on installing its vending machines in other cities, including Manchester, Birmingham, and London, as well as throughout Europe ... and even here in the U.S., including New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.

To this blogger, the work of Action Hunger is not, as some have suggested, a vanity project and not a means of replacing homeless shelters, food banks, church-run food pantries, and various other organizations that assist the homeless in both short-term and long-term ways.  It is good work.

If you are in the United Kingdom and want to donate food, contact the organization FareShare.  Here in the United States, food donations may be made by contacting the organization Rescuing Leftover Cuisine.  

If you would like to donate to Action Hunger and/or find out more about it, check out its website.

Terry