Food bank donation -"something to make our clients smile"

[shuffleofftobuffalo]

This is on the list from the food bank my DD's school is working with for harvest festival - what sort of items do you think it means? Love the idea of putting something treat-y in addition to the food we'll donate.

What about cat food ? We acquired about 100 tins of extremely fancy cat food then Dcat promptly died. It's about £1 a tin retail, was given to us because of a change of label so still fine to eat. Would give someone's best friend a lovely treat as ive joked we could heat up the chicken tin for dinner it's that good 😂

Chocolate biscuits
Sweets
Instant hot chocolate made with water
Multipack of crisps
I wouldn't do bubble baths as that might cost more in fuel/water

The only one I have experience of was exclusively food. Was a few years ago though. Good to know that others do extra things too.

Lidl do mini pannetone at Christmas; just right for one or two people, and in the same festive packaging as the big ones - excellent to pop into a food pack for a single person or couple. So many Christmassy treats are family sized, and lots of food parcels are for one or two people, so it's nice to have something that works for those smaller packs as well.

I would say treat items- hot chocolate, coffee, biscuits, cake, other nibbles.

its harvest though not christmas?

No. But someone would probably snap them up on Olio or your local Freebay Facebook group.

Lots of food banks will take them if you ask because they know that people often share the food they're given with their pets, so by providing pet food that helps the client eat the human food themselves.

They absolutely are. You check with your local one what their policy is.

I didn't realise that! We put a couple of bottles of wine in once, I thought they'd be a nice treat!

Ever donated to a foodbank? Know how they work? Been involved in them for years, and it’s the non food items that help someone feel normal and have some hope. I’m pretty sure your weekly ‘food’ shop includes toiletries, cleaning products, sanitary items, or do you not keep yourself and your home clean? Donating something to make someone smile is not limited to a can of chick peas or own brand cornflakes, it’s the little things that make you smile or your kids smile. Sometimes that’s a sparkly hair slide in clean hair, feeling secure when it’s your time of the month or clothes that smell lovely when you have to wear them all because you can’t afford to heat your home effectively. When I was in need, I’d have preferred shampoo and conditioner over fancy biscuits from M&S because having clean hair made me feel more positive and like the world wasn’t going to end.

“or do you not keep yourself and your home clean? ”

why the snark?
why be nasty?

when I was involved with a food bank, albeit a few years ago, it was exclusively food- all kinds of food, including “treat food” not just basics but nothing other than food.
hence my comment, posted in all innocence.

Certainly wasn’t being snarky or nasty! Apologies if it came across that way.
The food banks I have been involved with have tea and coffee and beans in abundance, but age appropriate toothpaste, toothbrushes, quality period products, stuff to wash hair, bodies and clothes etc is always forgotten or doesn’t cross people’s minds.

Have a look at your local Trussell website, they always have an urgent list of what they need and what they have enough of. This post was about what extras could be added to make someone smile and my suggestions were just ones that I knew were appreciated. Who can be mad with a sparkly hair slide in?? Again, apologies, off to put my sparkly hair slides in now

Most definitely a treat whether it be a cake, nice biscuits, choc tub or limited edition cereal etc. even the the little diy gingerbread men complete with icing and sprinkles!

Yes but Christmas stuff will be starting to come in now. We always used to get people making massive festive donations of Christmassy stuff in December and then having lots left at New Year which can be a bit tricky.

Our food bank asks for tins of tuna as a good source of protein. Maybe tinned salmon would be a treat item?

Serious question. Do food banks accept Durex? They’re far from cheap. If not, why not?

Aren't they free from family planning clinics?

Salted nuts
Olives
Pickles
Hot chocolate
Chocolate bars
Pet treats/food
Cheese
Jam
Pringles
Coca-cola

The community shop does.
In fact they had a daily fluffy visitor who thought she was the office manager. Unfortunately she was run over. RIP Mabel.

@JustAMiddleAgedDirtBagBaby If you have an Orthodox Christian community near their Christmas is Jan 6th or 7th.

Juice

Chocolates and sweets, Biscuits

But also nice
Hot water bottles

@Wibblywobblybobbly thank you. I will try that. Apparently millions of pounds worth of medicine gets wasted every year as if you give it back to the pharmacy it has to be destroyed. They can't re-prescribe the same tablets to another person!

I always put in things like advent calendars, Easter eggs, stuff like that. It breaks my heart to imagine kids missing out on these holiday treats, and in places like Aldi you can get decent ones for about a £1.

Cans of deodorant.
Shaving foam.
Disposable Razers.
Toothbrush/Toothpaste.
Sanitary products.

Granted these are unlike to make someone smile, but all can boost their self esteem.