Foodbank

[Parker231]

Posting in AIBU for traffic

As a foodbank volunteer could I please can anyone who can to donate to their local foodbank this weekend. Demand is huge at the moment and with more redundancies happening each week more and more people will be turning to a foodbank for help. It could be you needing their help in the future. The link below let’s you search for your local foodbank and see what they need the most.

Thank you

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

Why are you concerned by people like me?

I am an atheist and I don’t think charity should be predicated on pushing a religious agenda, therefore I choose to donate to organisations that align with my beliefs.

Others are free to donate where they choose. Why am I not? It seems really odd to say you are concerned by me.

A few years ago me and my children had to go into a safe house..we recieved a food parcel with chocolate and treats, it was very much welcomed by my children in a horrible situation Luckily now we are in a position to donate and we do add chocolates and cakes to our local fb.

My mum volunteers for TT and is very much anti religion. They operate from a community centre not a church and there is no sign of any religion or pushing of any agenda at all. It's a hugely diverse area and many of the people they help are from other religions or none at all. I don't think any of the users have any idea of any religious background.

I have a monthly standing order to TT, I give enough to feed a medium sized family all month (I do know it doesn’t all go to the same people! I just like to think of it that way). I think it’s the most efficient use of my money - to let the experts decide what to buy. And it means I don’t need to keep remembering to do it!

It’s absolutely shameful what our society is turning into. But until we can create some much needed political change the least we can do is to help those who are suffering from it the most.

I often buy a £10 gift card and drop it off to the food bank so that they can get whatever they most need.

We did a lot to support food banks at work, but as everyone's WFH now, that's not happening. And the annual event that we organise had to be cancelled, that usually raises £3k or more that goes to food banks right across the county.

Can I ask people to consider popping nappies and formula into the basket at the collection point? For mums or babies who can't BF, the cost of formula is massive, they don't get extra healthy start vouchers or anything, and I don't need to tell you how much nappies can cost, especially if you've got 2 kids that aren't toilet trained yet.

In the case of formula I'd check whether they want specific brands or would prefer a money or voucher donation. It can't be great for young babies to need switched depending on what people have donated that week.

I am sure I read on here the other week that you weren’t supposed to put formula and that it would be provided via HV ?

For those running food banks/ similar organisations Cook Food do an excellent programme where you can apply for meals if you have a local store... they have been an amazing source of support to the children’s centre that I volunteer at.

www.cookfood.net/info/kindness-fund/

Just a note to remind people that Food Banks hardly existed before 2010 and the huge rise is a fundamental failing of subsequent Tory Governments - food poverty is a political issue.

Can I ask people to consider popping nappies and formula into the basket at the collection point? Ours especially needs the bigger sizes. I think people tend to just donate the baby and toddler sizes up to a size 4.

I often pop in some cat or dog food. If it was me I’d hate to think of my pets being short of food (although our cat is so fussy she’s worse than a child!).
At the FB I volunteer at we have a small stock of pet food for dogs, cats and rabbits.

Just a note to remind people that Food Banks hardly existed before 2010 and the huge rise is a fundamental failing of subsequent Tory Governments - food poverty is a political issue.

Absolutely- and I hate to think how it's going to look after brexit.

Our local Foodbank does occasionally ask for dog food, but I think it is best to check first. In a lot of Foodbanks storage is limited, so if there is no demand they might prefer to have human food.

I donate regularly to my local one but part of me does resent it because not only did the place where I live vote utterly overwhelmingly for the government that created the need for food banks, the local MP has just voted against FSM and yet some of the very people using the facility are the same people who will not countenance voting otherwise. It can be difficult to stay compassionate for the same people that (sometime quite literally) scream about the loony lefties, rally behind one of the most divisive figures of Brexit. I do continue because at least the most vulnerable are getting help but I can't guarantee charitable thoughts if any of the people that egged my Lib Dem poster in the last election use any of the items I've donated.

We have a collection point at Tesco's so it's easy to pop an extra packet of biscuits or coffee in. In addition Tesco's donate as well giving all their outdated food. We have a local charity who collect clothes, bedding, furniture which they sell in their shop and also donate to those in need. The funds from these sales are spent doing a shop at the wholesalers for those who need food parcels, which they deliver and they get toiletries that are needed. The food banks aren't accessible to everyone due to transport costs so this delivery is a lifeline.
I'm buying bits for the Xmas hampers now.

I have added to our MP's fb page that he isn't representing me when he voted to stop FSM at half term

Donated loads of free from food and treats today. Never seen the food bank box so full. Suppose all the children’s free school meals saga has helped.

Around here most food banks are run by the church. And there are drop of points in the church. But you will not be preeched at.

They like money in some casses because they can use it to make food parcels more balenced. I think baby formula is a bit contntious, but if parents can ged healthy start vouchers for that any way.

My local food bank is always happy to receive pet food. We donated loads when our last dear dog died and we seemed to have a cupboard full and couldn't face looking at it.
Always interested to see what my local one does need tbo. I always assume tons of veg are good. They seem to get a lot of pasta and pasta sauces

One piece of good news from the Marcus Rashford campaigns is that foodbanks have started to see an increase in donations.

Our local deli has been doing a half term lunch menu with a £1 from each order going to the foodbank. It’s always busy so hopefully a good donation.

My tesco food bank collection point was overflowing yesterday. I thought the same about Marcus Rashford bringing it to the public's attention.

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

Where did I say I will only donate oats and pulse? There are loads of palatable and healthy foods. If people dont want to eat the huge array of food I'm perfectly happy to donate then that's fine by me, but I won't be coerced by people into donating junky sugary cakes that I dont consider good enough for my own family.

Oh and I do operation Christmas child every year. The kids and I love finding fun things to fit in the boxes.

But you know if I'm just dripping with contempt maybe I should stop donating a together.

Honestly people need to fuck right off.

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

You’re being all worthy about what should and shouldn’t be handed out at food banks yet you don’t know anything about Operation Christmas Child?

Yes as PP said it’s an evangelising tool of Samaritan’s Purse. I think that’s fine but they’re not upfront about it; it’s getting donations through deception that’s dodgy. Notwithstanding the transportation costs it’s often cheap tat being shipped back to the very countries where child labour made it anyway. Just google OCC + controversy.

I'm a bit taken aback that some people are only deeming 'healthy' food appropriate & justifying it by saying it means they can feed more people . Supermarket biscuits or treat chocolates are v cheap. A packet of biscuits in every donation isn't going to impact massively on how many mouths you're feeding . From a friend's experience, being in temporary accommodation for 3months was grim enough .( It can be up to a year in my borough). They had a kettle ,a microwave, no toaster,no cooker. Their foodbank parcel had biscuits which were massively appreciated. I've regularly put biscuits in the Tesco foodbank box along with other stuff.

These donations all great but as a PP said, food banks are pretty new.

Please let's not normalise this shit state of affairs whereby families are dependent upon charity to be able to feed themselves.

Foodbanks are ultimately a sticking plaster on a gaping wound, and I say that as someone who donates.

During lockdown I telephoned my local food bank and left A few voicemails asking when I could drop food off. Was planning on getting them a load of what they’d asked for on a leaflet someone gave me. Never heard a thing from them again

I run a food bank. During lockdown I and other volunteers were working 18 hour days trying to keep 600 people a week fed. I’m sure we missed calls like yours. We were absolutely run off our feet. In that situation I’d rather you’d have bought something and ask around on local media / taken a punt on a drop off time.

And to whoever mentioned formula - we’re not allowed to distribute it in my area, so check before you buy.

I work in a church based food bank. It's part of a wider community group of organisations. I am absolutely atheist, most clients are not religious, or not Christian. Don't let that put you off, please.

Just check out your local provision, you should find lots of info about how it is working during covid, whining helps, what it most needs.

The FB I volunteer at has been short staffed as many volunteers have been in the shielding category and they have limited the number of people at the FB to protect everyone. They have asked that donations are left at the collection points in supermarkets as they can’t guarantee what times someone would be available at the FB to take in donations.