I Can’t Be Vegan Anymore

[Starving]

I think I need to accept I can't be vegan anymore.
I'm new. I just signed up here as a last ditch effort to see if anyone has any ideas how I can avoid this. Baically I've been vegan since age 13, I'm 40 now. However for the past few years I've been on disability benefits since getting thyroid cancer and the treatment wrecked my health. My benefits were recently wrongfully stopped and I'm going through appeal. I now have no income, my overdraft is maxxed out. I can no longer feed myself. I've been using food banks and olio, both of which are awful in my area. Olio has basically nothing, and the food bank takes so long to access that I basically get three days worth of food every 2 weeks. I'm so hungry all the time. I've been diagnosed with multiple nutritional deficiencies, the NHS give me free supplements but i still get no food. It's a stupid system. I'm so hungry i now eat whatever the food bank gives, vegan or otherwise. They don't give much at my local food bank, each package usually contains a loaf of bread, a bag of pasta, a block of cheese, some yoghurt and a packet of meat. I eat it. Whatever is in it, I eat it. The hunger is so bad I am almost past caring but when I've eaten and the hunger pangs are gone, I feel so guilty. When that runs out, I starve until I can get another food bank appointment. Even the salvation army and the local church wouldn't help, they both turned me away. I got banned from reddit for trying to sell my prescription meds on there as I'm so desperate and I have nothing else to sell. So, sorry, I'm sure you'll think I'm awful but unless anyone has any amazing ideas, I can't be vegan any more.

 

[No Longer Active]

I'm new. I just signed up here as a last ditch effort to see if anyone has any ideas how I can avoid this. Baically I've been vegan since age 13, I'm 40 now. However for the past few years I've been on disability benefits since getting thyroid cancer and the treatment wrecked my health. My benefits were recently wrongfully stopped and I'm going through appeal. I now have no income, my overdraft is maxxed out. I can no longer feed myself. I've been using food banks and olio, both of which are awful in my area. Olio has basically nothing, and the food bank takes so long to access that I basically get three days worth of food every 2 weeks. I'm so hungry all the time. I've been diagnosed with multiple nutritional deficiencies, the NHS give me free supplements but i still get no food. It's a stupid system. I'm so hungry i now eat whatever the food bank gives, vegan or otherwise. They don't give much at my local food bank, each package usually contains a loaf of bread, a bag of pasta, a block of cheese, some yoghurt and a packet of meat. I eat it. Whatever is in it, I eat it. The hunger is so bad I am almost past caring but when I've eaten and the hunger pangs are gone, I feel so guilty. When that runs out, I starve until I can get another food bank appointment. Even the salvation army and the local church wouldn't help, they both turned me away. I got banned from reddit for trying to sell my prescription meds on there as I'm so desperate and I have nothing else to sell. So, sorry, I'm sure you'll think I'm awful but unless anyone has any amazing ideas, I can't be vegan any more.

Are you getting a hardship allowance? They should be able to provide at least that while the appeal goes through. The last time they tried to stop my sickness benefit in the UK, Cameron had changed the system to allow full benefits up to the appeal, so maybe that has changed back again. Either way they should be able to pay you something.

 

[PTree15]

I'm sorry you are in such a bad way. I'm not in the UK, but that seems odd that they would stop your benefits while you're appealing. Do you have any family or friends who might be able to help you out? Are there any jobs you can do, like online or something, that won't tax your health? Are there soup kitchens where you could get a free meal? Can you do things for people in exchange for a meal? I'm not sure what your options are at the food bank, but beans and legumes are filling and nutritious. And there are lots of ways to make them, like pulses, soups and casseroles, etc.

I hope things get better for you soon.

 

[Starving]

I'm sorry you are in such a bad way. I'm not in the UK, but that seems odd that they would stop your benefits while you're appealing. Do you have any family or friends who might be able to help you out? Are there any jobs you can do, like online or something, that won't tax your health? Are there soup kitchens where you could get a free meal? Can you do things for people in exchange for a meal? I'm not sure what your options are at the food bank, but beans and legumes are filling and nutritious. And there are lots of ways to make them, like pulses, soups and casseroles, etc.

I hope things get better for you soon.

They always stop benefits while you're appealing at least in my experience. No I don't have any family or friends. My friends all drifted away when i got sick and wasn't fun to spend time with any more. My family split up when i was a teenager. I've got no-one. I can't do any work at all (multiple doctors notes to prove it) and I have already explained the food bank situation. They give three days worth of food at a time and it takes at least 2 weeks to get an appointment. That's 11 days a fortnight with nothing. They don't give options either. i can't say "give me some beans and legumes," they give what they give. People who aren't in this situation always think it's easier than it is though. People seem to think there is a selection of free food for the taking. There really isn't.

 

[No Longer Active]

I can't do any work at all (multiple doctors notes to prove it)

Why would you need multiple doctors notes? You only need notes from one doctor to claim sickness benefit.

 

[Starving]

Are you getting a hardship allowance? They should be able to provide at least that while the appeal goes through. The last time they tried to stop my sickness benefit in the UK, Cameron had changed the system to allow full benefits up to the appeal, so maybe that has changed back again. Either way they should be able to pay you something.

Why would you need multiple doctors notes? You only need notes from one doctor to claim sickness benefit.

Maybe because I've been through multiple claims spanning years, plus MRs and appeals? This is the latest one. So I've had two GPs and several hospital staff write letters on my behalf for MRs/appeals as well as getting my original note. But you've already made it clear in the other thread you think I'm a liar so i don't know why I'm even bothering to explain.

 

[PTree15]

They always stop benefits while you're appealing at least in my experience. No I don't have any family or friends. My friends all drifted away when i got sick and wasn't fun to spend time with any more. My family split up when i was a teenager. I've got no-one. I can't do any work at all (multiple doctors notes to prove it) and I have already explained the food bank situation. They give three days worth of food at a time and it takes at least 2 weeks to get an appointment. That's 11 days a fortnight with nothing. They don't give options either. i can't say "give me some beans and legumes," they give what they give. People who aren't in this situation always think it's easier than it is though. People seem to think there is a selection of free food for the taking. There really isn't.

I've had to use a food bank or two in my day, so I guess it depends on the food bank. There are some in the U.S. that will offer a chance to choose foods, but not all of them do.

 

[silva]

Have you contacted vegan groups? I'm in the US but it's always seemed the UK was so much more vegan friendly. Here we have Food Not Bombs that do free produce giveaways, and all the food distributions have beans grains and produce

 

[Tom L.]

I thought the U.K. was better about providing for people who need assistance than where I am- but maybe I was wrong.

You need food, one way or another. For now, at least, don't feel too badly about taking care of yourself. Just do the best you can.

 

[Col]

Thankyou for doing all you can, get well soon.
I

 

[veganfortheanimalss]

I would have helped you if I was in the uk or had the facility for international money transfer and other issues preventing me from money transfer. I kindly request fellow vegans in the uk or easy to transfer money countries to help a fellow vegan in need. Please!

 

[Col]

The food banks are not your fault.
Here is a UK food bank for those in the UK plant based only : foodbank@veganchurch.uk

 

[shyvas]

I would have helped you if I was in the uk or had the facility for international money transfer and other issues preventing me from money transfer. I kindly request fellow vegans in the uk or easy to transfer money countries to help a fellow vegan in need. Please!

You can use Wise.com

 

[LoreD]

Have you contacted any of the local hunger charities, or the local Freegans. A lot of the Freegans donate most of the food they salvage. Maybe a group could drop some food at your house.

If we had an idea of your location in the UK, we might be able to investigate places that might be able to help you.

Some of the people on this forum might even be in the area, and be able to set you up with some help from a local vegan group.

If the UK forum group knew your location; they would be able to help you.

 

[Freesia]

I get it, I have had similar problems. Nothing wrong with coming back to veganism when circumstances are better. If you get a bit of a better income and food availability, you could try being a vegetarian until you are fully on your feet .

 

[g0rph]

Nobody here will be upset with you (I hope). You have to eat.

If you have a local Sikh temple, they will feed you...and in the temples they are by default at least lacto-vegetarian. I was in one in Birmingham and got some lovely deep fried veggies a while back...