April 20, 2014 at 7:49 p.m.
British newspaper slams Christian foodbanks & faces social media backlash
Trust, “the UK’s biggest provider of food banks”.
The article, entitled “No ID, no checks... and vouchers for sob stories: The truth behind those shock food bank claims”, sought to expose abuse of
the charity by people who might not be in need following reports earlier in the week of an increase in food bank usage. Words such as “scrounger” and “asylum-seeker” were used in the story.
The Daily Mail also sent an undercover reporter to try to acquire food vouchers. After filling in a form and being asked a series of questions,
he was eventually provided with just under ?40 of groceries.
Backlash
The Daily Mail’s story has faced a huge backlash on social media, with people attacking the news organization for trying to undermine the
charitable actions of The Trussell Trust.
British singer-songwriter and social activist Billy Bragg tweeted “Daily Mail chooses Easter Sunday to attack Christians for feeding the
poor”.
Tom Phillips of BuzzFeed.com tweeted “That Mail food bank story is just weird. Shocking revelation that food banks are exactly what they’re
supposed to be.”
(See more of the Twitter reaction at the bottom of this article)
In an ironic twist to the tale, there has been a surge in donations to The Trussell Trust following the negative reaction to the Daily Mail
story.
According to the Guardian, the charity’s page on justgiving.com leapt from around 250 public donations to over 2,000 after the article, worth
over ?19,000, with many donors commenting on the Daily Mail story. A donor called ‘Billy’ accompanied his ?100 donation with the words “I'm encouraged to see from the comments and donations here that the Daily Mail's shameful attempt to undermine public support for food banks has spectacularly backfired!”
The Trussell Trust
The charity at the centre of the Easter Sunday whirlwind, The Trussell Trust, says in its mission statement “We are a Christian organisation
motivated by Jesus’ teaching on poverty and injustice. We operate according to Christian principles of compassion, honesty, integrity, openness, kindness and care of all people, regardless of backgrounds or beliefs. We believe in turning faith into practical action, living out God’s love for the poor...” (from www.trusselltrust.org)
To help those in need in Bermuda during the Easter season, get in touch with the Eliza Dolittle Society (www.elizadolittle.bm) and The Salvation Army (www.salvationarmy.ca/bermuda).
Twitter reaction to the Daily Mail:
Next week in the Daily Mail - Ross Slater fakes an illness and an ambulance arrives, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
— claudiawood (@WoodClaudia) April 20, 2014 I presume the Daily Mail would have attacked Jesus for feeding the five thousand and slated him for creating welfare dependency.
— Max Shanly (@maxshanly) April 20, 2014 Mail on Sunday confirms horrifying truth that food banks give food to hungry people without giving them a hard time. http://t.co/Of1YDxFceK
— Corinne Purtill (@corinnepurtill) April 20, 2014 Easter Message Round Up Roman Cathlolic: "Help The Poor" Church of England: "Help The Poor" Daily Mail: "DESTROY FOOD BANKS"
— Rhys Wynne (@rhyswynne) April 20, 2014 Daily Mail chooses Easter Sunday to attack Christians for feeding the poor. #WWJD pic.twitter.com/ow3PvM28Vk
— Billy Bragg (@billybragg) April 20, 2014 If you're poor, the mail wants you to die. No benefits, no food banks, no help, nothing. It's as simple as that http://t.co/BnWqgQASYL
— Jonathan Paige (@johnnypaige) April 20, 2014 Thank God that on Easter Sunday the Mail is exposing a charity whose volunteers scandalously help those in real need. http://t.co/pP87HINUG0
— Stewart Wood (@StewartWood) April 20, 2014
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