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.

The coop near my office has a drop-off point for food. You can't put money in it. You literally get to give a hungry person or family exactly what they need - food. As far as charity models go, it's one of the best. And I work in charity so I know how much bullshit goes on in the sector.

I just checked, ours is certainly happy to take money donations, and so that's what i'll be doing.

Thank you for the reminder OP.

Our food bank collection has no name on it, I have no idea where the donations go and it is always full. I would be more inclined to put extra stuff in it if I knew where it went. However I do donate to it but much less than I used to before I realised I didn't know where I was donating to, which also means there is no chance of giving a financial donation.

On the basis that it is always full and the pet one next to it is not, I give all my unwanted pet stuff to the actual rescue, in person.

Not every one can afford to donate cash.

Good idea, ive just set up to do a fiver a month after seeing this thread. Its not much, but I do the same for the local night shelter too.

I can’t believe that someone asking about donating to a food bank got a response to give some treats to cats and dogs instead. How on earth could that be more important that helping people eat?

Our Foodbank desperperately needs cash. The costs of storage are astronomical and increasing. There are times of year (Harvest and Xmas) when people and organisations are very generous and we are struggling to cope.

Travel size shampoos/body wash/soap from hotels are really useful for the rough-sleepers (of which there are many).

I think the reason people prefer to donate food is because the food goes directly to who is in need.

If I set up a DD to a food bank my donations will probably go on salaries / insurance or whatever. I get that every charity has overheads but it's nice to have a method of donating that is direct.

@Amaaboutthis I did think the same lol.
Starving children or doggy chew toys. Difficult choice yknow

I do my shopping at lidl, aldi and iceland. None of them have foodbank collection points, which means i havent done a foodbank shop for ages. It makes sense to give money instead sometimes. They still have overheads that need to be paid

Isn't there also a question of how cash is given and what it can lead to?

Where contact details are given, there are countless reports of donors being hassled to give more and yet more - all very well if folk can afford it and don't mind, but perhaps a bit uncomfortable if neither apply

At least a food donation can be more anonymous ...

To be fair, OP you talk about them spending money on rent etc.
Fareshare, for example, are backed by asda and other retailers. Asda just kitted their warehouse with chillers, offices, staff room etc. Asda covers alot of their running costs as well as donating lots to them. Including food. They don't buy that much food, it's donated by large companies.

So if you are you to tell people that donating money is much better than food, you need to really display the facts.

well to be fair, they need both

“I think the reason people prefer to donate food is because the food goes directly to who is in need.

If I set up a DD to a food bank my donations will probably go on salaries / insurance or whatever. I get that every charity has overheads but it's nice to have a method of donating that is direct.”

It’s not direct. That food you give needs to be moved, by someone with a vehicle (who probably needs paying and insuring). It needs to be sorted and stored. It needs to be moved again and distributed. If the charity doesn’t have enough volunteers and cash to do this the food gets ruined and has to be thrown away or stolen or whatever. It gets to people late or can’t get to the hard to serve (often the most in need). The idea that you get around somesort of unnecessary middleman by giving food instead of money is just not true.

Thanks Fizz, thought I was the only one to have the absolute rage about that.

I didn't say anything about rent, Notaclue

I think most people are ignoring the animal 'chewies' posts, because it sounds like a fairly obvious wind-up...

YANBU. I’m the treasurer for a local food bank. Because of certain restrictions, we’re not a registered charity (not currently viable for a whole host of reasons) we supplement the tinned foods with fresh and not being a charity means we can’t directly ask for money. Due to universal credit, we have a lot of new referrals to look after. There are certain things we know they need, for example nappies, that may not of been donated that our volunteers will buy so the families don’t do without.

The fact is, the current system has fucked over a load of decent people. Unless you’re seeing it directly it’s hard to explain. Please donate money to your food bank, even if they’re not asking for it.

I can assure you, any money you donate goes directly to help the families in need. Lots of people work incredibly hard, for nothing for food banks.

I’ve organised collections through school for our local foodbank, (harvest, Christmas, Easter eggs etc) and I donate something personally at each shop. I follow our food bank on social media and just donate what they need - and share their requests with other local community groups and school. Our food bank has a reverse advent calendar programme at the movement so I’m helping to promote that - each day you donate a different Christmas item (delivered on the 10th of Dec so they can make Christmas packages) then a regular item for the rest of advent to be delivered in January.

However, this week they used social media channels to say they were totally out of UHT milk so I bought some and put it I. The donation bins.

I think that asking / expecting / donating food items means that more people can give all year round, which provides sustainability for the Foodbank. Times when I’m tight on money, I can add a 50p pack of biscuits to my own shop - I wouldmy donate 50p in cash because it doesn’t seem enough....

And, maybe donate to your local WA or refuge or sexual harm/rape crisis ?
I've had six months of fabulous councelling from my local team, they are a charity and rely on grants and donations and tbh them and my local food bank and local cat rescue charity are what I'm donating to. And supporting Extinction Rebellion, cos if we can't do something about climate change we are all fucked, anyway.

And yes, donate money to your local food bank

You think your chosen charity is more worthy than any other charity?

Oh, and before anyone gets twatty, I give every week to my local food bank

For those getting their knickers in a twist at Chethang's suggestion to give to the local dogs/cat's homes - nowhere in her post did she suggest that should be instead of giving to food banks. I think it was an excellent reminder and I shall be contributing to both in addition to the food bank.

Can I add that sometimes very local Food banks not part of a larger organisation can give more than 3 times and don't need referrals.
Nothing wrong with the bigger ones but I think with uc rollout some families will need way more help.
So I give to both. I know my local one actually gives about a weeks worth of food, having seen a parcel.
Also (teaches grannies to suck eggs) check the website for the latest list of what's needed.

Thank you, sorry for patronising.

Yeah true Silvery but what made me think it was as wind-up, was she didn't mention food/blankets/bedding etc...just some treats. Which on it's own sounds fine but on a thread like this, well just a little bit 'off' imo.

I could be wrong though of course.