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I always thought that foodbanks were given out of date stock when I saw them collecting from shops and supermarkets.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?÷

Ocado and IIRC Waitrose online to this. I think that Waitrose also have a token scheme instore where you pick what dinstion to make and they scan the token which is added to your bill. Ocado match funds that are donated via their scheme. https://www.ocado.com/products/you-give-we-give-10-gbp-271531011

@girlfriend44 olio ?

What if they can’t get back on their feet within a time frame that suits you — should they starve? If that’s what you mean, are you sure you are a human being?

Proportion of pensioners as users of local food bank this time last year 4%, this year 11%. Overall numbers have risen. Impact of withdrawal of winter fuel credit?

The average number of times a client used the food bank was just under 5 visits.

Best place to see what a food bank needs is their own website or FB page.

Because we re struggling as waiting for a dla application and because of other circumstances. The food bank are helping us till we get things sorted out. The dietary needs our family has are difficult to manage as expensive and the food bank help with that after our SW contacted them

I do this. https://www.bankuet.co.uk/

Monthly direct debit. They use the money loo to buy in bulk stuff that food banks need.

Following with interest. I thought I'd misheard the Sainsbury's delivery driver when he said he'd just done a delivery to the local foodbank.

Ok and? What's your point?

Maybe that's what I was thinking of then.
There's the app where you can collect food yourself.

I think the jury is still out on Malt Vinegar isn't it? Is it Sarsons who have recently said theirs is OK for Coeliacs?

That aside I'm a regular donater to our local food bank and I always donate the really good brands of gluten free pasta, ( Barilla mostly), a few bags of gluten free porridge oats, gluten free honey nut cornflakes and and the gluten free fruit cake bars from Morrisons.

I always hope that by donating the expensive long life gluten free goods it frees up the cash the charity has to buy the fresh stuff and that whichever person/family is accessing it and needs gluten free isn't having to put up with the inedible 'cheap' gluten free stuff that is miserable to eat.

Yep. Was about to try and explain about how people are trapped on low wages, caring responsibilities, unforeseen illness and disability. I have wealthy parents, went to a public school and I’ve had to use food banks on occasion, due to things completely out of my control. I work very hard, have always ‘hustled’ but bad luck, disability and illness can cut you down to size. It’s unkind but those are the types that I wish it happened to, those that a morally and empathetically bankrupt.

Nearly all of us are a few weeks away from poverty. You only have to lose your job, get sick or have a serious life event to find yourself unable to afford the basics. Lots of people who use food banks are working but can’t make ends meet. Why do you think people in food poverty don’t have a phone? My contract costs me £10 a month but you can get ones for less. You need a phone for absolutely everything, even contacting the food bank. You seem to be one of those people that think people who have fallen on hard times aren’t allowed anything at all, they aren’t even allowed to pass their time scrolling on mumsnet. It’s the old ‘flat screen tv’ argument. We’ve moved on from poorhouses and I’d like to think we’ve moved on from the deserving poor.

Maybe you're thinking of Olio. Which aims to prevent food waste. But still is not allowed to give away food past its Use By date (Best Before is different)

You might like this at Waitrose: https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/5-charity-donation-to-fight-hunger/819916-807923-807924

So why were you asking about where the money comes from for the collection vans?

Well surprise, surprise, most homeless people have mobiles and so they should - they couldn't function without them. So judgy and tbh abhorrent attitude here.

Food banks collect donations from the public and shops. They use donated funds where absolutely necessary to top up items that they are short of, that are not donated. The majority only issue non-perishable goods, but cannot give out food past its date.

Food pantries collect food that is going past its best...freeze it or whatever, and then distribute via various means.

How did you think vans etc were funded?

Btw if you’re generally interested in where your local food bank, or any other charity, gets its money from, all of this information is freely and readily available on the charity commission website.

I belive they are donated food direct from the warehouses where the dates are too short for it to get to store. But not out of date. That would be utterly ubsurd.

I donate money to the food bank as it’s easier than buying and dropping off food and then they can buy what they need

@girlfriend44 are you as hard of thinking about most things in life or only things that will nicely rile up hate against people living in poverty?

That you think food bank users existed on food on the turn, that magicked itself into food banks without the need for transport seems a little far fetched.

I prefer to give money instead of food. I reckon that food banks know best what they need (and can probably buy it cheaper than me).

There's an app called bank the food which a lot of food banks have now signed up to. It tells you which items they are short on so you can get what's required rather than over saturating certain items.
Some food banks distribution centres allow you to do an online shop and deliver directly to them.
I donate every month. I consider myself very lucky that I don't have choose between bills or food like a lot of people.

Is that you '30p Lee?

I think it's food with short date codes on so like 3 days before the expiry date.