Foodbank buying items from shops?

[girlfriend44]

I always thought that foodbanks were given out of date stock when I saw them collecting from shops and supermarkets.
I have now found out they buy items from certain retailers at a reduced price.
They put orders in. Where does the money come from to purchase?
Also they have vans, which cost money in petrol etc.
Anyone else think the same, never realised they were collecting stuff they had ordered in. I thought it was donated to them?÷

Food share gets on date food they share the same day out of date stock goes in the bin

Most people donate basic food to food banks but they also collect money and vouchers for special orders like gluten free or (independent food banks) baby milk and nappies

If you can't imagine not being able to afford to feed yourself, then you are very fortunate. What is "basic" in your world? Would a loaf of bread be "basic"? If so, what would you do if you had coeliac and couldn't afford gluten-free bread?

You have to be referred

You don't just rock up because you've run out of stuff

Probably just avoid bread and eat what I could eat which didn't contain allergens. I certainly wouldn't ask a charity to buy in specific foods for me. Then I'd work my arse off to feed myself and family from my own means 🤷‍♀️

Me too, then they choose what they need

Yes and the referral base line is very low.
and actually around here you don’t need a referral (central London) for many.

Not out of date food, food that was going out of date.
No I didn't know. I have seen the van pull up and I thought they were being given the food free.
Oh well you learn something new every day.

And how do you think they collect the food from Supermarket bins and get it to the foodbanks?

OK well yes, it's pretty widely known and many of us donate money not items in order that it can be best used.

The vast, vast, vast majority of people using food banks are in desperate need. It is not only humiliating, but unreliable to rely on food banks long term. Which people 'around here' are doing this? If you actually know them, and you know for sure they don't need to use the facilities, then you should report proof of this to the food bank. If, as I suspect, you have just heard this from someone 'around here', then you should make an effort to educate and inform yourself.

Tesco and Morrisons do give away food and it's not out of date.

Have you ever seen the episode of Rich Kids Go Homeless where the stuck up princess girl waxes lyrical about how she would better her own life if she was homeless, then within one night she's in tears because she's hungry and has realised she hasn't actually got anywhere to sleep..

That's what your comment reeks of.

Going out of date not out of date.

Clearly you don't

Better pray you never need one.

But maybe now, you'll think about donating

Still no use

It makes sense and is surely more efficient for them to buy a bulk order of whatever they need rather than relying solely on a mish mash of items donated by individuals. I suspect the whole thing would be much more easily run (less sorting, fewer collections, having what they actually needed) if more people gave money via a monthly direct debit than put a tin of beans in the box every time they shopped, but for lots of people for lots of reasons that’s too difficult or not how they want to give so food banks accept donations in kind too.

As for dietary requirements, it seems entirely reasonable to give gluten free food to a coeliac for example or dairy free to someone allergic to milk, or do you imagine having food allergies is some kind of luxury only rich people are allowed?!

Fair enough, but who pays the van and the running costs?

Of course they can't give out out of date food!

I donate money every month to our local food bank - I used to just pick up extras on my weekly shop but they can buy it cheaper (and make sure they buy what they need) and often have too much of certain things. I'd prefer to know my money is going to things that are needed, rather than a can of rice pudding to sit on the back of a shelf for a year!

I help out at a food bank. We can’t believe that people donate out of date items or opened ones. We put the dates on the packaging. Some donations include things like miso soup, sauerkraut and quite fancy stuff that isn’t on our list to provide. Sometimes our stock can get low for certain items and that’s when we go out and buy these items with money donated. So if anyone does want to donate food items please check dates. Do not think that receivers of items will be happy to eat them - would you and if so keep them and eat them yourself because they just get thrown out. Thank you to all people who are generous and donate though, really appreciated.

Those of us who donate money to food banks, because we realise they need money to pay for things like vans, petrol, insurance etc…

Why on earth would food banks give people out of date food?! That isn't very charitable is it?

Of course they buy food. I will start to donate cash instead of food - great idea

Donations of money. I having a standing order set up to donate to my local food bank each month.

Not being pedantic, I genuinely don't know how this works. Are the lists available somewhere?

On occasion we will donate things out of hampers we've received that are nice but not to our taste, say a fancy Christmas pudding or F&M jams or something, are we wasting our time if it isn't on the list?

This. Surely you knew this, op?

OP did you think food banks didn’t accept payments as donations?