Foodbank buying items from shops?

Following with interest. I thought I'd misheard the Sainsbury's delivery driver when he said he'd just done a delivery to the local foodbank.

I do this. https://www.bankuet.co.uk/

Monthly direct debit. They use the money loo to buy in bulk stuff that food banks need.

Because we re struggling as waiting for a dla application and because of other circumstances. The food bank are helping us till we get things sorted out. The dietary needs our family has are difficult to manage as expensive and the food bank help with that after our SW contacted them

Proportion of pensioners as users of local food bank this time last year 4%, this year 11%. Overall numbers have risen. Impact of withdrawal of winter fuel credit?

The average number of times a client used the food bank was just under 5 visits.

Best place to see what a food bank needs is their own website or FB page.

What if they can’t get back on their feet within a time frame that suits you — should they starve? If that’s what you mean, are you sure you are a human being?

@girlfriend44 olio ?

Ocado and IIRC Waitrose online to this. I think that Waitrose also have a token scheme instore where you pick what dinstion to make and they scan the token which is added to your bill. Ocado match funds that are donated via their scheme. https://www.ocado.com/products/you-give-we-give-10-gbp-271531011

There seem to be posters here who think Food Bank clients should be grateful for out of date food, that they should work around any food allergies or intolerance and not need help for more than a few weeks because they should work harder to change their situation!

Individuals who donate money on a one off or regular basis
Local businesses who support charities
The tens of thousands of charitable trusts in the UK
Gifts people leave in their wills
People who run marathons, cake sales, jump out of planes and do all kinds of weird and wonderful things.

Sorry have you just came out from a rock and discovered what charities are?

I think there's some confusion here between food banks (to which people in hardship are referred), and no-waste initiatives, which collect excess food and sell it to the local community for minimal charge. Our local no-waste organisation runs a food hub, which is open to everyone.

If it was a genuine question you wouldn't have needed to ask your follow up "but who pays for the..." because it had already been answered multiple times by then.

We (and lots of others!) donate money to our local food bank every month. It means they can look at the donations they have and then top up any missing items and offer more consistent support to people. It’s also easier for me as I don’t have to remember to drop off donations!

Our local community fridge picks up out of date food from participating supermarkets to avoid it going to landfill. I use it - to avoid the food going into landfill. I've just made homemade curried parsnip soup, yesterday was fresh tomato soup, and tonight was salmon and veg katsu curry. All free and not wasted.

People can donate money so their not overwhelmed with bags of pasta and pasta sauce etc. I would rather donate then they can buy what's in demand. They need the vans to collect the food which obviously costs. Some do it voluntarily there's a community fridge accross the road from our house. It's mainly to reduce food waste. They can take out of date food still good enough to eat. Food banks though only take unperishable food and has to be in date.

You'd think so would you?
Tescos app has a 'save for later' so if you have put something in your basket but change your mind it takes it out but reminds you when you next shop.
So why can't they have 'donate to food bank' too.

Those questioning how long food banks offer support:

We offer 2 food parcels for a month for 3 months and then once a month. We have some users for the last 3 years but often families dip in and out as required.

We ask for evidence that they need to service which alines with what the charity commission suggest.

I would assume from the monthly standing order that I have with the Trussell Trust... because I trust them to buy what is necessary when it is necessary and I understand that if they are able to buy in bulk. They are doing what needs to be done and OP, I find your post incredibly sad.

It wasn’t though was it. You can deny it all you want, but some of us are capable of reading between the lines.

What a strange post. I volunteer with our local food bank. When we have an empty space in the store cupboard we go to the shop and purchase more items.

Some people get really pissed when they are behind us at the till but I never know why! It’s much quicker to input 24 cans of rice pudding and 12 packets of noodles than scan a trolley full of random items!

We often apply for grants from the local authority and we run lots of fund raising activities.

Count yourself lucky that you can't imagine being unable to afford to feed your family

And how long do you deem is "long enough" for someone to get back on their feet exactly? 2 weeks? Three weeks?
It's abhorrent that as a society we need food banks at all, much worse that we judge people who have to use them.

Why would they be given out of date stock?! People using food banks need safe, in-date food as much as any person?

Clearly you have never donated (which you should remedy if you are able), but food banks are supported in a variety of ways. You can donate money to them directly to enable them to buy the items they need. You can purchase and donate (IN DATE) food, toiletry and household items, either dropping them off directly or leaving them at collection points in supermarkets etc. And then there are some businesses which offer you the option to round up your total when you buy something and donate the extra to a food bank (I think Dominoes is one such, there are likely others).

Its always worth researching your local food bank and seeing what items they need before making a donation, so that you can get the right things to them. It’s not always the items you expect that they are short of.

Ooh no I didnt know about that thank you I will have a look

There was a whole thread about whether people should donate Christmas puddings once - and it got quite heated!

I can’t see why people wouldn’t eat the odd Christmas pudding in Jan/ Feb, but I guess it’s only useful as an “extra”, it wouldn’t do much good instead of proper, healthy food.

After all, there’s a reason most people don’t eat them all year round - they’re an “a little goes a long way”’type of food, and not everyone likes them!