To ask about donating to foodbanks?

[KatieGoesKaboom]

If I've got a spare fiver am I better going to Asda and buying £5 worth of whatever I think the foodbank might need and putting in the donation trolley, or am I better just finding the foodbank website, like this one warrington.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-money/ and donating the money?

It seems to me that they could probably buy more food (and exactly what they need) with our money than we can, and they probably need money to run the places anyway.

Is money better than a food donation?

I've just screen shotted that off the Trussell website.

www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/

Here’s the link - you can check what is needed in your area.

Our food bank uses a set amount of the cash for fresh produce to be put in with parcels for some variety.

I do a Costco shop every month so bulk buy whatever they have on their "urgent" list that day then deliver it on the way home. I'd never though about just donating the money! Would that actually be better? I will ask!

I put in a few items, or a bag full depending on what I see on the way round the shop or what I bought in the last couple of weeks and didn't use, have a good idea of what is needed as I tend to look at the list as I pass. Last time included a few packs of chocolates that were given to us so that someone can have a treat.

I often put pet food and deodorant in as well as tins of various things and jars, including jam and marmalade. I tend not to put rice, pasta beans or toms in as they seem to have a lot of those most of the time.

I find it works better than donating money as I can take stuff from home when I have spare. I also put soap in, nice soap.

I always include pet food - I hate the think of pet owners struggling to feed their pets.

If you put food items into the Trussell Trust food bank collection skip at Tesco, the store will increase your donation themselves (I think by 20 or 30%), so your money goes further.
Ours always want non perishable protein rather than carbs, so UHT milk, tinned meat and tinned fish are welcome. I think they get tons of pasta and cornflakes.

It would be very appropriate if an organisation such as Just Eat made an effort to support foodbanks in that way.

I suspect some of the JustEat drivers earn so little, they probably have to use the foodbanks themselves.......

Food banks don’t give out any items containing alcohol. A classic Christmas pudding will include as much as 5% brandy, with others also including cider, sherry and rum.

Mince pies are also frequently made with brandy. Even stollen can be made with rum or other spirits.

Nrtft sorry if already mentioned.
They need money to pay overheads too. They get too many beans and pasta packs.
The few times a year I donate, I buy biscuits, custard, uht milk, sugar, coffee(small jars) tinned fruit, feminine hygiene stuff, toothpaste, if I can afford it cakes and fancier biscuits and chocolate.
I think if it was me, I would appreciate the stuff to live and I would be beyond happy at getting a cake or biscuits.
Put myself in their shoes. No car so I have to carry this lot, at the end of my possibly long walk a cup of coffee and a biscuit.

But yeah when possible I send actual cash.

Having now nrtft, I wont do so many feminine hygiene things, I may do nappies but I'm out of that world now so no clues. How about toilet rolls and wipes? I know I can get that right.

I’m a high earner. Thanks for the steer on here - I’ve donated the tax I’ll save (but would otherwise have been happy to pay) as a result of this appalling election result to the Trussell Trust.

It as makes me so angry and sad. It isn’t efficient or compassionate to run a country in such a way that people are so hungry that they have to rely on food handouts.

The reasons I can donate are an excellent state education, excellent NHS care and a whole shitload of luck.

Ifnyou have a spare £5, what about donating to buy a Christmas dinner for a homeless person:-

www.itison.com/Edinburgh/deals/buy-a-homeless-person-christmas-dinner-a-gift

I recently went to tesco and they were handing out little fliers with items they wanted on so I got pasta sauce, tinned fruit, fruit juice, biscuits, jam and some chocolate. (no pasta or beans!) other items they needed were tinned potatoes, tinned fish, uht milk, coffee and hot chocolate. They were also taking donations of Christmas stuff like selection boxes. I don't always have the extra so I find it easier to just add a few extras to my shopping rather than donate a set amount

Also there is a virtual charity box called pennies that gives you the option of rounding up to the nearest pound, I know dominoes use it and I'm sure there are others that do too

several pizza chains are members of the pennies charity
[https://pennies.org.uk/all-retailers/]

but if you use deliveroo/uber - there's nothing to stop you hpping on to the home page of your charity and making a donation - or many will have a justgiving page or similar

sorry MilkchopsMcgee - cross posted! I started writing that a while ago, got distracted and realised I'd not posted it.

Agree that the best thing is to check with your local FoodBank, they will all differ in what they need. We are currently overwhelmed with donations, I appreciate that everyone is being very kind and generous at this time of year but we are running out of storage space. Please wait until Feb/March when we will have empty shelves again or donate cash. And please ask if you are thinking of donating specific items like things for children. We are fortunate I that we have very few ‘young’ families using our FB so we really don’t need 100 selection boxes (thank you). And now we have the issue of redistributing them to where they are needed.
Really don’t want to sound ungrateful but a quick call would avoid over stocking of certain items.
The one thing we always run short of is packs of sugar.
And please, no ‘worthy’ donations - pulses, quinoa etc are not appreciated by 99.9% of Larder users (in our area).,

I used to volunteer at and still donate to our local food bank. Another good one to give is basic cleaning products, like washing up liquid or antibacterial cleaner. We always get plenty of teabags, but run low on coffee and UHT milk. (I’ve been in that situation and really appreciated being able to make a nice hot drink and have a biscuit.)

I hope things are better for you now @ColdTattyWaitingForSummer

Money is much better than food donation because :

1. The food bank can bulk buy / negotiate discounts
2. The food bank know what is actually needed.

Good on you for being thoughtful enough to ask the question.

Here is a link to Ocado Food Bank

ocado.com/products/donate-food-with-ocado-2-50-gbp-271532011

I know someone mentioned it up thread. They give fresh food to the FB and will at least double your contribution.

We have decided this year to use all the nectar points we have saved over the year to buy food for the local food bank and were surprised by what they did and didn’t need. It changes fairly regularly and at Christmas extras have been added in

After I had a hysterectomy I took all my unopened sanitary items to the food bank the man I handed them too was in complete shock... and slightly embarrassed he said thank you we hardly ever recieve ladies products once or twice a year if we are lucky... and I went armed with about 5 packs each of normal pads, night pads, and boxes of tampons in various sizes the local food bank has now started to sanitary products on them little lists .... one item I always buy for the food bank is pet food and treats, I know of a lady who goes without food to feed her dog...