How to best receive money donations from friends/ family for food bank food shop?

[Meadow90]

Hi all,

Does anyone know how it would be best to receive money donations from friends/ family for a big food bank shop?

I'm planning to use any money donated to shop for our local food bank's most needed items.

Rather than any money being transferred into my own account I'd like to collect donations via a fundraising website if at all possible. However I don't know whether it's an option to do this without the money being just being sent straight to the charity?

Any thoughts welcome, thanks

Do they want to donate?

Surely if people want to donate to a food bank they'd buy some food? I'd be a bit offended to be asked for monetary donations for someone to go shop for a food bank.

I'd just ask people if they have food to donate.

There’s a pool option on PayPal which might work? I’ve never done it though. Money would still be transferred into your account ( by you) but no one would need your bank details.

Also the food bank might prefer direct donations because then they can use it to buy whatever they are low on.

@inwood I'll soon find out

@ellieboolou33 gosh I really can't even imagine being offended over something like this. If I didn't want to donate I just wouldn't

I think some people would feel insulted / offended by you dictating (in the nicest way) how they spend their money.

@msmith501 what an odd interpretation of my post. I don't think sending out a message to friends and family letting them know what I'm doing and how they can contribute if they'd like to is going to offend them into thinking I'm telling them how to spend their money. Perhaps you have strange friends and family...

Would you not be better donating directly so they can decide how to spend it?

Many of your friends and family will already be donating to this and other causes. You can always share a post about how to donate to a food bank after you’ve made your donation if you wish.

Please, please, please check with the actual food bank first - they are often overwhelmed with donations at Christmas. A late January/early feb shop may be much more beneficial or even the money itself.

@Mbear will do, thank you

It's a lovely idea but I like to donate my own chosen items when I go to the shops. A friend does do a breakfast and asks for food donations and clothes and she takes them to the charity, but I always think she's just creating work for herself as everyone that comes donates already (but any excuse for a get together)!
But I do think @Mbear may be right - a donation later in the New Year might be better.

I must also have strange friends and family as I wouldn’t dream of doing this. I must also BE strange friends and family because if someone sent me that request I wouid think it was show off virtue signalling
I regularly donate to foodbanks (give a largeish one off cheque to a different local charity each Xmas) but I isn’t tell my friends and family about it let alone try and involve them
It’s a nice thing to do OP but no need to try and rope anyone else in, if they want to donate they don’t need you prompting them to

Donating to food banks is so easy that it does seem a bit of an odd thing to try and arrange on behalf of other people. As for fundraising websites, I'm not sure about whether the money can come direct to you rather than the charity, but the websites normally take a commission.

A PayPal poll might work. The money in the poll is separate from your actual account.lovely idea by the way.

Paypal are a business, as is Justgiving.

They’ll charge a percentage fee for handling your donation.

It’s much more effective to donate directly to the food bank.

Be careful your kind thought is not interpreted as virtue signalling by your family.

Food banks will almost certainly prefer money, definitely as PP mentioned at this time of year. By giving food you’re making work for the food bank, as they need to store it, especially if they have a surplus. You’d be better off encouraging family and friends to donate money, admittedly you won’t get the warm fuzzies but it is more practical

A friend of my DM collects donations from us sometimes , she is very involved and volunteers with various charities so it’s actually a relief when she mentions that a certain charity/food bank is short on donations. It’s just easier to give her the money/items. But we either give her money, vouchers or the items rather than transfer to her account .
She is organising small Xmas presents for struggling parents, and asked us if we are willing to help. and sent out a list of specific items that are needed or the choice of sending her a voucher or money.
I see no issue in telling people if they would like to donate, it’s not virtue signalling. Sometimes people are either too busy or forgetful and it’s nice to be reminded or for someone to do it for them.

A great way to donate is via Ocado. Whatever sum you donate, they match. I do it every time I do a shop.

I'd be a bit offended to be asked for monetary donations for someone to go shop for a food bank. I'd just ask people if they have food to donate

If you want to help why would a request for money be a problem? I volunteered at a food bank with work and we did a collection then went shopping. I asked friends and family (who live all over the country) if anyone wanted to chip in. It isn't always possible to collect food from family and friends.

I wouid think it was show off virtue signalling

And yet you announce

I regularly donate to foodbanks (give a largeish one off cheque to a different local charity each Xmas)

Don't you think that's virtue signalling.

Asking for donations to a charity you support isn't virtue signalling. Boasting about sending "largeish cheques" is.

Not if it’s on an anonymous forum where nobody knows who I am
If I announced it to my friends and family then I would agree

Send round a message to your friends and whoever say you will be doing an xmas donation to your food bank and wondered if they would like to chip in do a just giving and see how it goes people can give or not.

I think a cash donation is probably a better suggestion.

I would be suspicious, because you say I don't know whether it's an option to do this without the money being just being sent straight to the charity?.

Why are you trying to prevent the money going to the charity, sounds a bit like a scam tbh.