Faith-based organisations as actors in the charity economy: a case study of food assistance in Finland

Abstract

This chapter traces the concept of absolute poverty in the developing EU social policy agenda from the beginning in the 1970s up to the EU 2020 process. Thereby it also scrutinizes whether the concept of absolute poverty or closely related concepts of extreme poverty or homelessness do trigger, accompany or frame distinct policy developments for tackling such severe forms of poverty. It shows that the European Commission is a key player in starting and promoting such policies. While the paradigm of relative poverty takes centre stage in most of the related concerns and developments it can be shown that absolute poverty repeatedly surfaces as a complementary concern, be it at the level of discourse, e. g. during the European Year Combatting Poverty and Social Exclusion, or on the level of instruments, like the European Fund for the Most Deprived.

New frames for food charity in Finland

“…Thus, the programme directly encourages the redistribution of expiring food and market excess to food charities. Again, this connects the FEAD to the disposal end of the prevailing food system and, finally, to a circular economy (Salonen and Silvasti, 2019).…”

“…Hence, food charity appears simultaneously to be a suitable solution to an awkward but undeniable hunger problem and a matter of national shame because of its conflict with the Finnish welfare model based on the Nordic ethos of welfare (Karjalainen, 2008). This double standard can still be seen in public discussion of the issue (Silvasti and Karjalainen, 2014;Salonen and Silvasti, 2019) and particularly in the contradictory behaviour of the MSAH. Overall, this contradiction appears to reflect a collective interpretation of the fundamental nature of charity as a form of philanthropycharity seems to be immune to serious critique, making political debate about the topic extremely difficult (McMahon, 2011;Riches and Silvasti, 2014).…”

“…From a social policy perspective, again, charitable food provision can, at best, be a temporary remedy for acute hunger, but it does not contribute in any way to solving the structural root causes of poverty. Thus, food charity as part of a circular economy is an indication of, rather than a solution to, the stubborn problems of food poverty as well as food waste (Kortetmäki and Silvasti, 2017;Salonen and Silvasti, 2019). Food waste recovery can be used in the management and rerouting of surplus food, but in the end, it does not offer a proper tool for environmental protection.…”

Families and Food in Hard Times

“…In both countries, since the financial crisis and implementation of austerity measures, there has been a growth in 'food aid', that is, the direct provision of food to people in need. In Norway, as in other Scandinavian countries, a strong welfare state is accompanied by a discourse that there is no need for food aid (Salonen and Silvasti 2019), but NGOs that feed families in crises do exist, particularly in the cities (Borch and Kjaerness 2016).…”

Kaupungin ja järjestökentän yhteistyö espoolaisen ruoka-avun kentällä koronakriisissä keväällä 2020: Näkökulmia vakiintuvaan ruoka-apuun

“…Nykyään puhutaan yhä vähemmän ruoka-avun legitimiteetistä ja enemmän tarpeesta jakaa apua tehokkaasti, mikä kertoo ruoka-avun normalisoitumisesta suomalaisessa yhteiskunnallisessa keskustelussa (Silvasti, 2015). Myös ruoka-aputoiminnan sitominen entistä tiiviimmin osaksi hävikkiongelman ratkaisuyrityksiä voidaan nähdä yhteiskunnallisen vakiintumisen elementiksi (Salonen & Silvasti, 2019).…”