Food banks

[Parker231]

www.trusselltrust.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/donate-food/

Posted in AIBU for traffic.

I’m a volunteer at a local foodbank. We are getting desperately short of donations and run the risk of not being able to help those who need it.
I’ve attached the link to search for what your local foodbank needs (everyone is different as to what stocks they have). If you are doing your shopping tomorrow, it would be very helpful if you could add a couple of items for the foodbank. Thank you

Can I please remind mumsnetters to check with their local food bank regarding donations, as a PP said, our FB is currently overwhelmed with donations following Harvest Celebrations and we will be over stocked until well after Christmas. Different Food Banks have different needs ... we are currently having to pay for storage ... we do try to redistribute food as much as possible but (fortunately) where I live there is not a huge demand for food.

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OP, if only the supermarkets would put reminders at the entrances to their shops so people put extra stuff in their trolley while they're going round. The first time people see the food bank containers is on the way round.

There was meant to be a campaign with stickers on shelves of most needed items, but for some reason it didn't happen, which is a shame as some supermarkets were in favour of that.

@daisychain01

OP, if only the supermarkets would put reminders at the entrances to their shops so people put extra stuff in their trolley while they're going round. The first time people see the food bank containers is on the way round.

There was meant to be a campaign with stickers on shelves of most needed items, but for some reason it didn't happen, which is a shame as some supermarkets were in favour of that.

The sticker idea is great! I wonder why it didn't happen.

Our local Tesco supports the local food bank and the Women's Refuge. We also have a charity run by a local councillor, who is very down to earth. The money raised from donations to a warehouse is used to buy food, furniture given to those in need. She's certainly not judgemental, but I'm not sure about the food bank. The supermarkets also donate food to a food recycling centre daily where anyone can go

Please rethink. The beneficiaries of your donations are the people you are supporting not the organisation. Someone who doesn't have enough food for their family is not responsible for decisions made by TT. If you disagree with TT, contact them and say that, not cause harm to those who need support.

I can completely see what you are saying about supporting those who need help but it’s a no from me. I donate both food and a substantial sum of money (to me) every month to a different food bank not run by this church. I have done so for the last 2 years and will continue to support them for as long as I Can.

My experience chimes with that of the other couple of posters who have mentioned having to attend worship to volunteer, and the foodbank being used to evangelise for the church.

They set the foodbank sessions to coordinate with prayer meetings and people are encouraged to stay. They use vulnerabilities to target people. Not just the foodbank but also the mother and toddler group in the way the previous poster mentioned. They also set up an addiction support group - they look for the vulnerable.

I won’t be involved in something like that. And they don’t want me. I can’t volunteer for them, they don’t want my time, why would I give them my money?

Ours is being given too much xmas stock at the moment, yes, sweets are lovely, but they can’t be used as a component for a meal. I remember last year someone spent £100 on advent calendars, as much as it was incredibly generous, we were low on foodstock so couldn’t actually provide food parcels over a three day period, something that has never happened before.

My food bank does have many volunteers who are clearly church goers but there is no mention of religion anywhere or in any of the leaflets given with the food parcels.

I have to refer people to Food banks and have picked up parcels to deliver to people. Our local foodbank is TT. At no point have I ever seen any " recruitment" or leaflets apart from ones giving advice on where to go for benefits/debt advice etc

@Offmyfence it was a great idea, I heard about it on the radio. It was thought up by some school children and they lobbied all the supermarkets - Sainsbury and Waitrose were supportive. I wish all the supermarkets had got behind it, especially at Christmas. It sadly never really took off.

@Bigeggsinapackoften sounds like you're doing loads! I have volunteered for my local food bank pre-Covid, and haven't been told to turn up at church so hopefully I've dodged a bullet there I'll get back into it now I'm back in the office as the collection point is Asda next to work.

Thanks for the link op! It’s really helpful.

One of the our local food banks is particularly appreciative of supermarket gift cards, so they can buy whatever they most need that week.

As the other one (not Trussell Trust) is run by a bunch of very dubious evangelicals, who have preyed on vulnerable clients before now, they get all my donations. I'm horrified that a church can use people's need for help as a way of manipulating the vulnerable.

Sorry I know we are not supposed to bite but I don’t really have a problem with the church aiming services at the vulnerable, even if it does mean they end up “Christian”. Much rather a drug addict on the bones of their arse, alone and ashamed was supported, included and helped, even if they get swept along in the religious aspect. Better to be exploited into believing in God than exploited by dealers or pimps, especially as there is very little support from other services these days.

@SandysMam

Sorry I know we are not supposed to bite but I don’t really have a problem with the church aiming services at the vulnerable, even if it does mean they end up “Christian”. Much rather a drug addict on the bones of their arse, alone and ashamed was supported, included and helped, even if they get swept along in the religious aspect. Better to be exploited into believing in God than exploited by dealers or pimps, especially as there is very little support from other services these days.

It’s really not an either/or.

And if you consider these churches benign or harmless you’ve not been reading the news for about thirty years.

The church concerned discourage members from mixing with non members and isolate people from their families.

In my friendship group they’re trying to get into a tragic situation thankfully the father is strong enough resist the pressure to have the preacher to heal his child and is going with modern medicine. But the mother has fallen for the claptrap because she is devastated for her child. It’s tearing them apart as a family. They’re also discouraging the mother concerned from reaching out for support outside their church. She was not involved with this church until this situation. They were right in there as soon as they sensed a vulnerability due to a terrible thing and it’s abhorrent

They’re also homophobic proponents of gay conversion therapy.

I’m not talking about an average CofE church that’s a bit happy clappy here.

To be clear. My issue isn’t with the Trussell trust per se. It’s who they have allied themselves with in my particular area. I feel they should have done better due diligence.

Ah ok, yeah that makes sense, I am probably being a bit black and white and yes I have read the news, hadn’t considered that aspect

@Bigeggsinapackoften

No sorry. Local trussell trust have allied themselves with a very evangelical Christian organisation who use the food bank to recruit through the back door.

I do give to a food bank but not one with those sort of values.

The food bank I work in is also attached to the local church, physically and via funding, volunteers, drivers and clients.

But, like me, the service itself is resolutely non religious. It is deemed to be offensive to mention anything to do with the church whilst working in/ for the bank. I see it that this is the local provision, so I work with them, and the local vicar reckons Jesus offered solace unconditionally.

Many other local banks are also church based and yes, they do befriend, but nobody is forced to join a congregation. These are local people who attend the parish church. They are not the Moonies or Charlie Manson!

We are seeing an increase in clients too. The food / fuel debate has started early this year.

If everyone could check with their local food bank and see if they can provide some of what they are short of I am sure that a lot of people would be grateful.

Let's not demonise churches and food banks.

I’m not demonising churches. I am demonising one particular church group because of their specific behaviour. And pointing out that I feel it is abhorrent. And I don’t understand how the Trussell trust can be allowed with them.

*allied

@Bigeggsinapackoften

I’m not demonising churches. I am demonising one particular church group because of their specific behaviour. And pointing out that I feel it is abhorrent. And I don’t understand how the Trussell trust can be allowed with them.

See how your post started a derail? And you are now continuing it.

If you felt strongly enough you cod have started a thread about it at any time.

But you chose to start in a thread asking people to consider their local food bank.

I wish you well of it, but I wish our clients better. They don't deserve having someone divert much needed support because, something, something...

@JayAlfredPrufrock

It must he exhaustion being you *@Bigeggsinapackoften*

I agree. *@Bigeggsinapackoften*'s posts are aggressive and unhelpful.

@daisychain01

OP, if only the supermarkets would put reminders at the entrances to their shops so people put extra stuff in their trolley while they're going round. The first time people see the food bank containers is on the way round.

There was meant to be a campaign with stickers on shelves of most needed items, but for some reason it didn't happen, which is a shame as some supermarkets were in favour of that.

In our local Tesco, there is a display shelf just inside the entrance to the store. It is full of plastic bags, handles loosely tied at the top, which already contain approx £3 worth of essential items. Items in the bags include cleaning things and toiletries as well as tinned food. In fact, they seem to mostly contain cleaning products and toiletries at the moment, which suggests that this is what is most needed. If you want to donate, one way to do it is to grab one of these bags as you go in at the start of your shop and drop it into the donation bin after paying as you leave. The cashier does have to untie it and scan the items but they repack the bag as they scan and it only adds a second.

I always do this, and then add some extra bits, usually a couple of tins of tuna or similar, a box of the flavoured porridge on the basis that you don't need to add anything to it to make it taste nice, and then a couple of treat bits like a packet of biscuits or a packet of the flavoured latte type drinks - I like them and you don't need to add milk or sugar to them.
Judging from our donations bin, most people do grab one of the bags as they go in, and a few then add some extra bits.
It's right at the start, in your face as you go in. It's much easier to remember to donate now and not get out, walk past the bin and think "bugger - forgot again." And they get what they need because presumably the bags are packed by someone who knows.

It's made it so easy. It's a great idea.

Thanks for the reminder. I too wish that the donation trolley wasn't at the other side of tills. I see it and think 'oh no, I forgot again!'

Once a year the Trussell Trust has permission to put volunteers at the entrance of my local Tesco, handing out short shopping lists of things that are needed. I volunteered one year, and most people were really happy to take one and add something to their trolley. Of course some people were rude, but one kind man made my day. He did his own shopping, and then came back with another trolley to do a separate shop for the foodbank!

Thanks for this . I’ve checked the link . Very helpful and I’ll donate next time I shop .

Can I ask those of you that are volunteers, if I was going to spend, say £5, is it better to buy 10 'value' items at 50p each or fewer of the more expensive brand names? In other words, which is better for you - quantity or quality?