Growing up in poverty in Hackney
Playdates aren’t something Tyler Munson can offer her two little girls.
Their one-bed temporary accommodation is in a pretty bad state, with black mould, drafty windows, holey flooring and a fridge that no longer works.
In fact, the building has been earmarked for demolition.
Tyler and her children Avery, 3 and Parker, 5 are living in real hardship – as are 64% of children in Hackney. The borough has the second highest level of child deprivation in England.
The No Child Left Hungry campaign by Hackney Foodbank aims to raise vital funds for emergency food and caseworker support for families like the Munsons.
Avery and Parker who are among thousands of children in Hackney experiencing hardship
Tyler said: “The girls and I are experiencing hardship. Before the food bank started helping me, there were days when I’d go hungry so they could eat. I do a big shop and batch cook – we don’t have any treats or snacks, there’s hardly enough for two meals a day.
“It’s such hard work mentally and physically to be poor – it’s degrading. We have to do everything the long way round to get by. It does get me down. It’s embarrassing. I want to work – I have my forklift licenses and, before the children arrived, I worked in warehouses. I’ve been applying for work but there just aren’t enough roles out there.
“My eldest daughter has ADHD and would really benefit from doing more activities outside of school, but I can’t afford it.
“Not having money - your mental health suffers quite bad. I’m sure a lot more people in poverty commit suicide and they definitely don’t get as many chances.
“We’ve been on a waiting list for a bigger, more permanent flat for the past five years and we could be waiting for years to come. As the girls get bigger, living in a one-bed place is getting harder. We’re having to be very minimalist – I’m chucking out stuff to make room. We have a wardrobe in our living room!”
Tyler is getting support from the food bank’s caseworkers, who hope to get her a grant for a new fridge. She added: “It’s ok in the winter as I can put my food outside, but when the weather warms up that won’t work!”
Tyler’s determined to protect her children from the truth of their situation - having grown up in poverty she’s all too aware of the stresses. She said: “I don’t want to put the worry on them.
“They’re brilliant kids – Parker has a lot of energy and loves playing with her baby doll and Avery couldn’t be more different – she loves boxing, running and wrestling!”
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