to ask people to donate money, not food, to food banks?

[Valanice1989]

I've just been thinking about this because it's getting close to Christmas, when more people start making charitable donations. Many food banks cut out the middleman and buy food wholesale in bulk. Cash donations also allow them to prioritise things people really need.

And she cannot possibly know of everyone’s local food bank would prefer this or not. So it could be total misinformation.

Give as much money/food as you want yourself. How much you have helped will depend entirely on that. Not by “directing” everyone else’s giving so you can feel like you’ve done more than you’ve actually stumped up for.

Ok worra thanks. I'll double check first.
She’s acting like no-one else has a clue about how to make a charitable donation effectively. HTH Maisy
I didn't get that at all. More a helpful post with information that people either knew or didn't know.

But this is information that not everybody knew, so useful

No good deed goes unpunished on Mumsnet

Yes, but don't forget there are many charities that could do with donated money at this time of year, the Dogs Home, Cats Home etc. If fact the Dogs Home would love some extra chewies at Christmas

You're prioritising "doggy treats" over starving kids? This is a thread about Food Banks and you're trying to remind people to donate to a dogs home instead? I'm sorry but WTF. You probably eat meat on a daily basis where animals are tortured daily so I don't think you should be discouraging people to not give to food banks. This kind of shit annoys me.

We’re doing a good donation point at work , with items the food bank needs (they gave us a list)
Some people can only afford to give a tin or packet , others more .
Surely anything is better than nothing ?

Not everyone has extra cash to donate but they may be able instead to donate one of a BOGOF. I think the best thing to do is to check with the foodbank itself as to what its needs are.

OP

I don’t mean to be rude, but you don’t work at a food bank and really have bugger all idea what’s best and yet you start a thread that could well negatively impact food banks by putting poeple off donating.

I don't understand how I'm acting like no one else knows how to donate efficiently? I used to donate food to them myself. I didn't find out that food banks get their food wholesale until last year. I just thought I'd post about it. Oh well, that's Mumsnet for you!

But OP foodbanns continue to ask for food.

So I suppose we’re more inclined to believe the source rather than sometime who has “just been thinking” on mumsnet

There are a variety of ways to donate, all are effective and useful. Some will donate via their bank, others will put food into donation boxes.
What matters, is caring enough to do something.

Was the post about donating for dog and cat Xmas treats instead some sort of weird joke?

Collected food at work for local bank one time. They sent a thank you letter asking for money in the future. All the donations stopped. I occasionally donate to a food bank collection point. I think in general are suspicious whether money is spent at the point that it is needed

I think people like to feel a connection with their donations, to be able to picture the actual tin of food/nappies etc giving a tiny bit of peace of mind to a struggling family. It’s why those shoe box things are so popular.

In the case of food banks - why not? We give to feel good about ourselves if we are honest and handing over a tin of tuna and a packet of sanitary towels might do that more effectively for some people than putting two pins coins in a tin or setting up a direct debit. It’s all giving.

The Trussell Trust accepts money, food, clothing or furniture. If you give money then with gift aid on top your money goes further, plus the fact they can buy stuff wholesale. Seems a good option to me.

[https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/]

Aargh. Link fail.
www.trusselltrust.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/

we donate via ocado (the only supermarket that delivers reliably here)

Foodbanks ask for food because people are emotional and react better to that sort of ask and they are more likely to give a can on their way out of a shop than they are to give cash. But if you plan your giving and you want your money to go further you are better off donating the cash to the food bank rather than spending the money in the supermarket and giving the food. Of course, if you have food you’ve already bought that you aren’t going to use (or that will get gobbled up as “extra” like a bogof packet of biscuits), then that’s an efficient donation too.

I donate money monthly to food bank via standing order because I am lazy and never get round to buying and donating food.

If you use Ocado you can choose to donate certain sums, e.g. £2.50 or £5, as part of your shop, and Ocado double it.

I can’t believe any food bank would turn down money - is that really true?

The problem with donating money is that before you know it the charity becomes very rich, spends a fortune on things like brand new HQ buildings and unnecessary staff and loses sight of what it originally set out to do.

I donate £10 a month to a woman who buys the food bank what it needs. Or I use Ocado.

I am glad of the thread as I was planning to donate food in December and I may do money instead once I’ve checked locally, I can see valid reasons for both but hadn’t thought about money to foodbanks.