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

I don’t understand why people feel the need to buy food to donate to a food bank. If you donate money, the volunteers can purchase what their clients need in bulk at wholesale prices

Money doesn't always end up where you think it will. It's better to donate products if you can

Our donation tubs are also in Tesco, who will give money to the value of 20% of what is donated. (by weight)

I was part of a foodbank set up in a local church as part of the community COVID response. Totally none religious although many of the volunteers are active in the church.

Definitely check what your local is short of, we were often flooded with beans and soup.

Our area supports many more single people than families- just the area demographics so we had to divide our family size stuff like tea bags etc.

Many of our clients have poor cooking skills- and often no access to anything more than a shared fridge and microwave so we were always after substantial meals that don't require cooking or preparing. Single serve tuna or smaller tinned meats tins etc . I appreciate that a bag of chickpeas or rice is economical- but no use to many people - an Uncle Ben microwave rice is much better. I do find it a little patronising when we apply values such as economy and thriftiness to foodbank donations- like some paternalistic Victorian distinguishing the worthy poor from the feckless.

Its like the posters whinging about cat food and tinned sponge and Jam being included- who on earth would class jam as a luxury. And it's just my own personal take having seen the genuine need of most recipients- but I look for supermarket BOGOFs- but only stuff I'd buy for my family. Nothing wrong with own brands- but some basic value products (T Bags, cereals, coffee, tinned fish) are not great quality.

Tins with pull rings especially useful as some clients don't have tin openers.

I hope everyone donating to foodbanks is also writing to their MP about the benefit cuts and issues with benefits because foodbanks shouldn't have to exist first and foremost!!

Ours caters for people who aren’t on benefits as well and certainly do participate and encourage people to campaign about poverty in the uk, benefit issues as well as in work poverty (which can sometimes be the same thing - UC is not only people not in work for example which many don’t know or forget).

It's control issues, god forbid poor people should choose their own food.

No. It's because even people with very little like to donate. They can't afford regular donations. May not have the facilities to make any transfer via a bank account. Having an anonymous donation site means that even if all you can afford is a 20p packet of biscuits or packet of smash then nobody is going to judge you when you do!

I too wish food banks didn't have to exist. But we do. For myriad reasons that aren't going away - are growing!.

Contact your MP and lobby them hard! Maybe see what specific needs your local area has that you can help with.

@334bu @lydiarose and others asking about brands...

In terms of what I pick when I am packing a foodbank parcel a tin to beans is a tin of beans. If I have a crate full of beans to pick from then yes it feels better than half a crate of fancier beans...

HOWEVER
From a clients point of view you have to think what would you think if there is a little bit of luxury in that food parcel you didn't have the money to pay for. Some clients won't care - its all food. Others that little special something means the world.

Sometimes it depends on how busy we are. If I'm alone in the packing room - as I have been through covid as the room is small - and I have a high number of parcels to pack I grab whatever is nearest from each of the crates and get it out. If however I have more time then I might look more closely to ensure each bag contains something "Special". I will ensure that our homeless guys get ring pull tins, that our larger families get 3 tins of the same favour soup so it can be heated on 1 ring together etc... it all depends on the day.

Whilst that doesn't answer the question directly... I would say buy what you buy for your family/household. That way the store room reflects the folks of the area. The only potential exception to this is when you are responding to a direct shout from the bank where they post on Facebook etc... "bring us beans" in which case quantity is great!

One thing I would say though is to usually avoid big packs of anything. Sometimes big pasta/rice bags works for large families but mostly they sit for ages as we are not allowed to split them. small jars of coffee, smaller boxes of tea, etc. 50% of our clients are single people...

Thanks LittleOwl153, that is really useful. Very interesting too about the number of single people. I'll definitely bear that in mind.

Can I just remind people to check with their local Food Bank about what is wanted ... our FB certainly wouldn't want plastic bags ... that would just be something else we have to work out how to dispose of, all FBs are different and their stock requirements will be different (please ... no more porridge or pasta ).

We love bags. Saves buying them.

What do you pack in?

Well I emailed my local FB and I'm dropping off the bags today so thank you for the idea.

Jay we do like the large, study bags but tend to be given 100s of flimsy plastic bags ... and I mean 100s .... that we just can't get rid of, and many of the lighter ones just won't hold the donations.

OP, I know the answer is going to be yes, but I will ask anyway: has demand really increased in recent months with inflation and UC cut? I was wondering how much by.

I try to donate when I remember. There is no food bank collection at my local shop, but I try to remember when I go to Asda. I agree there needs to be a reminder as you go in. Sometimes I've gone back to buy stuff.

I feel really sad that food banks are so normalized as an everyday thing now. It's awful.

Oh give it a rest. The OP is doing a nice thing, why derail that with your crap?

There have been threads about this in the past where volunteers have posted that they offer to pray for service users and have a prayer circle at the end of the day where they offer up the prayers.

Many people asked why they would offer the prayer and not just have the prayer circle at the end of the day. Some volunteers said it was because it was something they wanted to do as a religious person. So really, making it all about themselves, and not the service user.

I do hope this isn’t normal practice now.

I have loads of heavy plastic bags for life and am happy to donate. Thanks to whoever posted that suggestion.

@Warmduscher

Oh give it a rest. The OP is doing a nice thing, why derail that with your crap?

There have been threads about this in the past where volunteers have posted that they offer to pray for service users and have a prayer circle at the end of the day where they offer up the prayers.

Many people asked why they would offer the prayer and not just have the prayer circle at the end of the day. Some volunteers said it was because it was something they wanted to do as a religious person. So really, making it all about themselves, and not the service user.

I do hope this isn’t normal practice now.

I’ve never prayed for anyone in my life - and would laugh at the suggestion. The Trussell Trust foodbank I volunteer at and the others in our area where we swop stock with, have no religious connection. That is not the purpose

I’ve no doubt about that, OP.

But in my previous job I would refer service users to the food bank so it concerned me that some vulnerable people might be put off if they thought they would have to accept a prayer being offered in order to get food.

@Warmduscher

I’ve no doubt about that, OP.

But in my previous job I would refer service users to the food bank so it concerned me that some vulnerable people might be put off if they thought they would have to accept a prayer being offered in order to get food.

I know ours, run in a church building (albeit one that’s not identifiable as such) are exclusively led by food bank users. Though it is Christian they’ve had people of other faiths referred who have not then turned up - one of the good things about the voucher system is they do follow up with people, as some use all their courage asking and then have none to go. The leaflets specifically say it’s for anyone.

If people ask for prayer/ meet vicar that’s usually possible. If people are of other faiths they can be helped. They’ve a good relationship with other faiths throughout rural wales where I am. Its forbidden to ask people about faith in case it’s misunderstood.

Some take offence, usually a polite discussion helps. I know they’ve had abuse, even a brick through window because of being “Christian scum”

At the end of the day it’s a service for food for those in need, and, many not only for food but comfort as well, and that’s offered upon arrival, again led by the user. Prayers are said for users generically along with others in need in the community, if requested then personal prayers are said and volunteers will pray on the spot, but only if asked to do so.

We have 3 sites. At the bigger site the local well known vicar is usually in attendance. She will lead a prayer before the site opens for anyone who want to join in - no pressure to do so. She is also on hand if anyone wishes to partake in prayer.
At the other 2 sites depending on who is on duty there woukd be no religious cover all. But we can call upon most people for support if needed...

One of the things I was concerned about when setting up our foodbank was that by hosting it within a church building would it put people off from walking through the door- there have been points in my life where it would have done for me. But as PP have said there are ways around it in terms of delivery and referrals who do t show up are contacted or their referee contacted to see what the problem was. I don't think it has even been because of religion.

Please donate pet food too.

@Thecurliestwurly I can't speak for all foodbanks but interestingly our foodbank (Midlands market town area serving lots of villages surrounding it) saw a HUGE increase in March 2020 our figures doubled overnight. This was sustained probably through to Feb 21. However so far we have seen numbers similar to 2019 recently. We are poised for increasing numbers but it hasn't happened yet. Christmas will be tough again - and January is always bleak...

I just watched Dispatches about kids that are classed as homeless as in temporary accomodation and the parents really struggling. Heartbreaking. One worked full time. I am going to start donating regularly now and cut my own shopping a bit. One lived in a hotel room with his mom and sister. Had to keep all the food in their room. Could only watch wifi if outside the coop as could pick up the internet. Going to make my son watch it too show his lucky he is.

Can I ask to the workers of food banks. Things like pasta n sauces are they a no no as need milk. Are you better off getting things that add water too. Obviously will check my local food bank list