Hi, I’m Sam.
I never expected to become a foodbank manager, and I definitely didn’t expect to start a blog. But the more I think about what we’re trying to do — truly transform lives, not just offer a quick fix — the more I realise I need to share the journey. Not because I’m a writer (I failed English GCSE the first time!) but because I care about my community, and I think others do too.
I see my role as simply loving my community. I have day to day tasks to do; I have things that I have to achieve to make everything run smoothly.
I am however, in a slightly odd situation. My job doesn’t really feel like a job. I’m blessed enough to be employed by The Rob Clarke Community Trust, (I’ll tell you more about the charity later) a charity that I helped create with a team of brilliant trustees that just want to help me in whatever way is needed. Sure, some bits are boring and necessary, but I don’t mind because my job is great. My job is to simply care.
I really do care. I care about the people I engage with, I care about my town, I care about our clients (I hate that term), I genuinely want my hometown to thrive. I want to see people fly. People that are broken, that are hurting, that can’t get out of the rut they find themselves in and facing food insecurity amongst a whole host of other insecurities.
For some people we encounter through the foodbank, its bad luck, bad timing, unfortunate sad scenarios they find themselves in. For some people… yep, they are making choices some might think are not the right choice. They make the “wrong” choice time and time again. They really don’t help themselves. But I really, really do care about all those people.
Since I began this role as foodbank manager in 2019 I have gone round and round thinking about all that we do, does it really help? Does it help in the long term? Does all of this make a real difference to people other than a quick fix. Are we keeping people trapped in poverty?
Get Porter Sam’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
So, we tackled some of that with our partnership with Citizens Advice and Christians Against Poverty. It’s been a real success and vital to bringing change for people. It really helps that our CA worker is bloomin brilliant. I love her to bits.
But, I am still stuck thinking, yes, we help, but nothing is changing. We see some peoples’ situations change, improve, they don’t come back; which I have to assume is a good thing. But then there’s always another new face. The questions are still there; how do we really change things? How do we really support people and change the whole situation.
I have always said my role is to put myself out of a job, I’ve always meant it. Foodbanks shouldn’t need to exist. It’s a bold statement, a bold aim. We must dream big though right?
I still don’t have the answers to my own questions. Some days I feel that I never will. Most of the time though, I am full of hope, full of excitement about what can be achieved.
Since joining LinkedIn my network has grown, full of inspiring people doing great things and lots of helpful articles about how to fundraise and inspire others into joining our course. Lots of things that I find interesting, but I’m not convinced my wife really wants to hear me talk about it!
So, I’ll give this a go. I hope that I will perhaps inspire some people.
I don’t have all the answers, but I know this: real change happens when people come together with a shared purpose. Maybe you want to be part of something bigger — something that lifts people out of hardship rather than just getting them through the next week — please talk to me. Let’s imagine and create a future where people don’t just survive but thrive.
sam@lowestoftdistrict.foodbank.org.uk
