Steven Crichton, a therapist from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, knows a thing or two about irony. After graduating from the University of South Wales, he found himself needing a food bank to feed his family - a plot twist his degree likely didn't cover.

Crichton and his partner Kat had been skipping meals to ensure their kids had full lunch boxes, but when he finally visited the Taff Ely food bank, he found it “way more dignifying” than expected. That’s right: a food bank was more dignified than his previous strategy of just not eating.

His journey to that point was a doozy. He lost his father to suicide at age six, battled his own mental health issues and a heroin addiction, and eventually turned his life around through counseling. That inspired him to go to university in his thirties to become a therapist, which is how he ended up broke after graduation. He now runs his own business and volunteers to help food banks be less stigmatizing.

His suggestions have led Taff Ely to stop using marker pens on carrier bags (so they can’t be identified as food bank bags) and let visitors choose their own food. “It gives people a bit more independence and autonomy,” he said. Plus, it lets them trade one item for another, which also cuts down on food waste.

Matthew Stevens, partnership coordinator at Taff Ely Food Bank, said reducing stigma is a priority. “Anybody might need to use a food bank and tackling that shame ensures that people who need support are going to get it.” Having Crichton’s firsthand experience helps volunteers understand what it’s like to walk through those doors.

Crichton now has his life on stable footing, but he still makes it a priority to give back. Because nothing says “I made it” like helping others avoid the marker-pen shame.