Buy One Give One – A lifeline for Foodbank clients

Below is an account written by our sign-posting officer Fred Poll. He shares his experience of distributing free Vodafone sim cards though their ‘buy one give one scheme’. The sim cards give users free data. calls and texts for 6 months.

“For many of the most vulnerable people in our society, the rising cost of living and the reduction in universal credit payments have made daily life far more difficult. Many people are falling into arrears with rent and bills. In some cases, this leads to utilities being switched off. This is also the case with phone contracts. When bills are not paid, phone companies cancel contracts, leaving vulnerable people completely isolated from any support network they may have. This can lead to people missing essential doctor’s appointments, missing food parcels and generally just missing out on the social support that is so essential for those in precarious situations.

I gave a SIM card to one client who I had called during a routine support call. She was very distressed and mentioned that she was feeling suicidal. After talking with her for some time, she said that her phone company was about to switch her off as she hadn’t been able to pay. She said that as a vulnerable adult, living alone, this would plunge her into an even more precarious and dangerous position. I managed to get the client one of the Vodafone loaded SIM cards that have been supplied to our foodbank. Not only did this take off some of the financial pressure that the client was facing, it also gave her a means of staying connected. The client could stay in touch with her daughter, her doctor and was able to ensure that she could contact advice and support centres to help relieve more pressure.

It is safe to say that these SIM cards have been a lifeline to many foodbank clients and during these immensely difficult times, they will help many more vulnerable individuals stay connected to their loved ones and the services that they need.”

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