London - The world's
first vending machine for the homeless will start giving out
free food and clothes as charities in Britain gear up for a cold
winter amid record levels of homelessness.
A new charity, Action Hunger, plans to stock the machine in
Nottingham with excess produce donated by supermarkets, such as
fresh fruit and sandwiches, as well as essentials it has bought,
like socks, toothpaste and sanitary towels.
"Action Hunger's machines provide access for the most
vulnerable in our society to satiate the most basic of needs -
that of sustenance," the charity said on its website.
"They permit access to food and clothing free of charge at
any hour - without requiring anyone to be left without aid
outside the operating hours of the various charities and
shelters that are available."
Homelessness is rising in England, with at least 4,100
people sleeping rough on any given night in 2016, according to
the homeless charity Crisis.
Action Hunger lists the supermarkets Waitrose, Tesco and
Sainsbury's among its donors, while volunteers will stock the
machines each day.
Users, who will access the machines with special key cards,
can take three items per day. Action Hunger says this is to
guard against dependency.
Rough sleepers will be given priority, it told the Thomson
Reuters Foundation via email.
The cards will be issued by partner organisations, such as
The Friary in central England's Nottingham, which also offers
homeless people lunch, counselling, showers and medical care.
Action Hunger said it plans to install a second machine in
Manchester soon, and another in New York in February.
Thomson Reuters Foundation