To Let You Know What My Food Bank Needs

[RamblinRosie]

I’m guessing the requirements are similar across the country, mine needs:

Tea bags
Pasta sauces
Nappies size 5&6
Tinned vegetables
Jams/spreads

Apparently, they don’t feel they can ask for biscuits or treats, but they are very much appreciated.

My local food collection point is full of very worthy food but I like to add a few nice bits, if you need to use a food bank, you deserve the occasional treat.

Surely you can just use bubble bath as shower gel?

I find it too strong, Pillow.

When they ask for washing powder, should I buy a combined liquid (like Bold) or separate powder and fabric softener?

nellyelora
Truth is, we don't know what to do with the really odd stuff. We have a fairly strict rule at our food bank that clients don't help themselves to items (partly for reasons of space), so instead we rely on trying to match things up with clients based on the chats we have with them. There's a great feeling of triumph when a client has asked for something unusual (like, say, camomile tea) and you remember that at the back of the cupboard somewhere there is such an item.

Huge bags of rice and pasta are possible to split but not ideal - it means buying a box of sandwich bags and a volunteer spending time making up smaller bags. We do do that with coffee and sugar, and with hot chocolate.

Re Easter eggs and advent calendars for kids - I'd check with your local Food bank before donating these. Some food banks have a lot of families - some like ours don't. Also, in our area a lot of the clients are Muslim and we can't give them Easter eggs and Christmas stuff.

Oh and re washing powder

This is always in high demand so we divide this up in smaller quantities. So it's best NOT to give a bottle of liquid detergent - instead give either capsules or the ordinary powder. We might give a one person household five capsules in a little bag, for example.

I usually give money but when I give food I always go sweet. Tinned fruit, biscuits, sweets, those microwave puddings. I remember being poor as fuck and it was the sweet things that kept me going through multiple meals of beans on toast or pasta with whatever condiment I had in.

Word of warning though about reverse advent calendars. 2 years running this type of thing has been arranged at work and both years the boxes sat in the back of my managers car until the end of January becasue the food banks in the local area had nowhere to store the donations so couldn't accept them. This is why I've started donating money every month instead.

Ds school had food bank donation day . On the letter it asked for toiletries. I gave along with food stuff a brand new never opened Britney Spears perfume, because I have this already. But was it ok to donate a perfume ?

Thank you for this info. It's much appreciated. I'm always concerned about whether I'm buying the right things.

I haven't read right through the pages of the thread, but would it be useful for me to include things like sanitary protection, toiletries etc?

I was wondering whether it is better to just give money?

Thighofrelief yes. However if all you can afford is a tin of beans or some hot dogs, or the bogoff item, that is still welcome. Most people wouldn't think of popping in with 50p. I expect you can set up regular giving to some food banks.

My local food bank do a great scheme where once in a while they go to my local Asda and as you come in they hand out little shopping lists of things they're running low on. If you want to donate you can pick a couple of bits up as you're doing your shop and hand it in to the food bank volunteers as you're leaving.
I think it's a fantastic idea and do it every time I see them.

We do an advent calendar at work and yes - check what they need and why they are open. I went down last year and it was amazing - crates of fruit and veg too so I guess shops must have been donating too.

Ours has no name on it so no idea where it goes to. The same old list has been stuck on it for the last 6 years.

Pasta
Rice
Sauces
Tomatoes
Beans
Tinned food
Long Life milk
Cereal
Sugar......

I pop pet food in, and biscuits or sweets, shampoo, crisps, pot noodles as it is usually filled with the basics and hope I am helping someone to keep their pet, or wash their hair or have little treat. I may be wrong though. Also put the basics in.

@Aridane - with that many tampons you would think they couldn't possibly be overflowing!

Don't forget sanitary towels/tampons/panty liners.

I just want to reiterate what has already been said a few times on this thread, all Food Banks have different requirements according to who uses them, the local demographics etc so the best idea is to always get in touch with your local Food Bank and find out their specific needs. Our FB is overwhelmed with sanitary products, money is always useful.

And agree with other comments, most FBs will be over run with donations at Christmas & have nowhere to store everything, either give money or wait until the Spring.

"Don't forget sanitary towels/tampons/panty liners."

Only if your local food bank actually wants them. The thread is littered with posts saying that there's has plenty, and it's on the 'no more right now, please' list

"I was wondering whether it is better to just give money?"

Quite possibly - always needed (to cover costs and to buy fresh produce) and always welcomed

Ours always need money. We don't get fresh stuff due to hygiene regs but for insurance, fuel, van, utilities etc

Staff costs etc