If you donate to food banks..

[Novasmum]

Is it okay to donate activity packs for children and treats for parents such as face masks etc?

I have had a really rough couple of years financially. I lost my home, partner and I split making finances harder too. I am in a place now I am doing better and have regular work. I work with children and would love to put together packs for over the summer holidays and donate to the food bank. I’m just unsure if this is accepted? same with treats for parents, (obviously not alcohol)

thanks!

Tesco one is just a bin but they stand at the entrance at Waitrose with a specific list, and yes pulses is occasionally on it. Last time was fresh green vegetables, butter and sauces. What I do is get decent quality things. If I don't buy myself the 'value' range, I don't donate it either.

If you want to donated 'things' that aren't food for families in need, and you're in London, you could donate to Little Village, I volunteer with them in SW London but they have several locations (littlevillagehq.org/donate-stuff/). Things like the colouring sets etc go down really well!

Don’t be so ridiculous. You have a massive attitude problem and quite likely an empathy problem. I volunteer at a food bank and I speak with new customers. We offer people what they prefer to eat as far as is possible. People find familiar food comforting and what’s familiar differs. Some have eating disorders or autism and restricted diets, or health problems, or problems with teeth so need soft foods. We ask about their cooking facilities and fuel situation, and give fuel vouchers if they are needed. Sometimes vouchers so people can choose the food they need.

Some people want ‘easy’ foods but they still get wasted and people go hungry if people are not used to them. And there is nothing ‘naice’ about fresh foods. They are a basic staple for a lot of people in most countries of the world.

My Foodbank is delivery only.

7 days of food delivered to the door.

Lots are not everywhere has a walk in .

Some people want ‘easy’ foods but they still get wasted and people go hungry if people are not used to them. They don't get wasted. You will find they are donated back (we do a lot of deliveries) because people at rock bottom can't generally bear to think something was wasted.

The number of clients mentioning they can't afford to use their cooker is going up. I'm no fan of pot noodles but one quick boil of the kettle...

The number of clients mentioning they can't afford to use their cooker is going up. I'm no fan of pot noodles but one quick boil of the kettle

I've started donating things like super noodles for that reason. I'd thought of pot noodles but wasn't sure. Might donate a couple.

Yep - ask, but in general - esp if it's a food bank that has lots of families, cartons of juices and treats that will make kids feel they don't stick out at parks and places on nice days or sessions that need packed lunches. Our foodbank is adjusting this way for the the start of school holidays. Treats are important...

I would donate food (and other essentials they list) to the food bank and look at other organisations locally to you are collecting other things that you suggest. There will be other projects set up for all sorts of things: Boots collecting unopened toiletries for example. I don’t know if they still do but I’m sure Pets at Home collect(ed) unwanted pet supplies for charitable organisations. Lots of opportunities to donate toys at Christmas time. Most supermarkets have the means to do that in December.

We have a bi monthly collection for a local food bank organised by a resident on our road. Its usually well supported & in the past I've gone down a more non branded item route wanting to get more for my money. Recently though I've been focusing on children - eg Love Hearts hand-wash and in the summer a load of ice sticks. I've also bought more branded goods (eg Hobnobs/McVities choc biscuits or Heinz ketchup) recently thinking that it might make a change from generic ranges.

My question is to those of you involved with good banks whether I'm just being a bit snobbish by thinking someone will appreciate a Heinz ketchup as opposed to store brand. Is it a case of quantity over quality?

From the network I'm in, quantity every time. We're having to buy food in. I visited a neighbouring foodbank in a very naice city a couple of years ago and they had never done any fundraising because food poured in. They were in the press last week saying donations had fallen away and stocks very low.

It is lovely to receive branded foods but if you can get two for the price of one we can reach more people. Maybe go branded at Christmas?

The other thing is I can buy more with your money than you can. We tend to bulk buy from Morrisons who have a charity wholesale price list. Also your money could be gift aided if donors sign forms? Sounds hard headed but we're about maximising all donations to reach the rising numbers in need.

I think at lot depends on how much storage space they have. Ours doesn't have so much and they'd probably ask you to take it to the Salvation Army instead.

The other thing is I can buy more with your money than you can. We tend to bulk buy from Morrisons who have a charity wholesale price list. Also your money could be gift aided if donors sign forms? Sounds hard headed but we're about maximising all donations to reach the rising numbers in need.

I didn't know that Morrisons did that. Thanks for letting us know.

Our local food bank is asking for Christmas treats at the money, so selection boxes, chocolate advent calendars, tubs or Roses and that sort of thing, if you'd consider that?

The advent calendars in particular are a good one so kids feel the same as their classmates. Yes you could spend the £1 you spend on an advent calendar on a couple of tins of spuds, but treats and not feeling like the odd-one out I think is worth it.

When it comes to the food bank we donate what it is they're saying they are in need of and leave it at that as they know best and a one off 'treat' won'tbenefit the majority and can't be given to everyone. They publish a list regularly on all their social media (I just follow them on Instagram) though obviously you could call.

Otherwise when I'm able and around holidays etc I do the same for our local women's crisis shelter. They house women escaping domestic abuse and homelessness who have their DC with them. They have an Amazon wishlist which covers everything from cheap toiletries to furniture and games for the building to art supplies and toys for the children housed there.

I think an Amazon wishlist is fairly common these days for charities so I'd find an organisation and ask them or check if they have a link on their website.

The store model of food bank sounds excellent to accommodate people with different cooking facilities available, different cooking skills and different food preferences.

I would find this model a lot less dehumanising than receiving a standard bag. I think it's important that more healthy and fresh options are available.
So oats plus a porridge topping of your choice
Veg soup kit (veg plus stock cube/spices)
Dahl kit (lentils, onion, garlic, ginger, spice pack)

People need choice .. the vast majority of Food Bank clients at the FB I volunteer at absolutely don't want porridge oats, veg soup kits or Dahl ... that's a very 'worthy' selection of food. . It's not up to people who donate or distribute the food to decide what is 'suitable'.

Lol at fresh options.

Yea right. Let me see what we’ve got.

Oh look, a few bags of rotting salad leaves.

Although to be fair last week we had some mahoosive marrows and pumpkins.

I donate in line with what our local bank requests

They don't want fresh things

Then I tend to donate what I would / do eat with an eye on cooking cost and complexity

I eat plain porridge and spaghetti hoops

We were kindly donated a lot of fresh garden/allotment produce this week ... very few clients actually wanted it .. most of it was taken home by the volunteers in the end or given to a local 'Zero Waste' project along with mountains of porridge oats and pulses.

I'm not sure if it's the right way to do it but my policy is donate money regularly and add the occasional treat to the supermarket box. It makes me feel better knowing people in a tough place get the occasional treat but the majority of what I give it's something the charity can definitely use. I'm definitely guilty of giving poorly thought out treats though through lack of knowledge - things like fancy bubble bath were probably not ideal - so threads like this are really helpful.

Hi everyone,
I've been reading through the comments and I've noticed a few about sanitary products.

When my daughter was at secondary school, the mentors would hold a 'meet and greet' session for parents and carers. During this meeting one of the items raised was access to sanitary products in an emergency situation and it was explained that at that time the school had to purchase the products to be able to hand them out.
This was a bit of an eye-opener for my daughter and her friends as they never really knew about period poverty.
So working with their year mentor and this mum we came up with a plan.
We made small bags with ribbon ties from pillows cases and put either 3 towels or 3 tampons in each.

Because I'd done a lot of charity work in the past I helped them write a letter to local shops and other parents asking for donations and over a few weeks the girls made over 200 of these emergency bags all of which were handed out over the next few terms.
My daughter is now in her 30's and we are still making the little emergency bags ready for the start of the new school year.
My granddaughter started secondary school this month and helped make this terms bags up with her two friends.

Lots of fresh items last quite well without rotting eg onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, courgettes, squashes etc

@Snog It's not just the storage. Fresh produce takes a food bank into a new set of food handling regulations and records.