To anyone who has ever donated to a food bank...

[ThrowThoseCurtainsWide]

Thank you, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, Thank you

The DCs and I left our family home this week. as we were fleeing domestic violence. It's been a really shitty week, but thanks to all of your food bank donations our cupboard looks like this. The volunteers there were so welcoming to me, gave me tea, checked I was okay and they're going to make sure there are some bits waiting for me next week that weren't available today.

I've been overwhelmed by the generosity of people. Friends of a friend have given us bags of toys.

If you ever lose your faith in mankind, remember that the kindness of strangers has provided food and happiness to my children this week. I couldn't be more grateful.

Thank you

I was in your position a year ago, I could of cried from gratification. I regularly leave items in the bins myself now to pay the kindness forwards.

We give any formula to the local children's centre.

My local food bank took both dried and little bottles of formula from me. The guy said there was some debate about whether they would take it or not but it was regularly requested.

That's an amazing post OP at all levels. Best of luck. And thank you.

So pleased you're safe OP, very best of luck to you

Pet foods also are sometimes needed.

Oh my goodness, what a wave of strength from you all. I wasn't expecting this to get such a huge response. Thank you for your kind words. I have skim-read as I'm trying to settle the children and I could feel myself welling up. I will definitely come back to all of your kind words when I need a bit of a pick-me-up.

To give a bit more about what it was like for me:

• got the voucher from the DCs school
• arrived at the food bank and they put the voucher on the system, offered me tea / coffee / biscuits / sandwiches / fruit/ squash from a little buffet table. Then asked me to take a seat at one of the tables and someone would go through things with me.
• went through a list of items and asked my preferences. Rice pasta noodles or a mixture? Tinned sweetcorn / carrots / peas. Beans or beans and sausages or both? Etc
• asked me if there were any toiletries or Sanpro that I needed.

-then I sat with my cuppa whilst they picked it for me. -it got weighed, I signed the piece of paper and they helped me to my car.

Things I'm so glad were there as will make the bulk of our dinners: pasta, tuna, sweetcorn, rice pudding, custard, cereal, squash, long life milk, shower gel, pasta sauces, beans, spaghetti hoops, soup. Loo roll

The non-essentials that made me really happy knowing that the DCs will enjoy them: the biggest box of shortbread biscuits in the world! (Not kidding the box is 30 x 40cm and 3cm deep!!) looks like an unopened Christmas selection box! Crisps, especially the monster munch. Some chocolate & mini haribo packets. The little 10p ones - I can put them in my bag and surprise the DCs at school pick up.

Shampoo, shower gel, sanpro, razors, laundry powder & washing up liquid were all really welcome offerings from my perspective.

Things I would have loved there to have been:
-long life fruit juice, especially in individual cartons. We're in shared temporary accommodation so I'm wary about putting lots of opened things in the shared fridge. --There is a mini one in our room, but I haven't turned it on as it will probably gurgle

• conditioner. This would make me feel so much better!
• adult toothpaste! A dentist had donated bags with kits toothbrushes and toothpaste in. That was actually one thing I'd bought, got myself a brush, but no paste. I have been brushing my teeth with bubblegum flavoured toothpaste all week - something minty and for adult teeth would be much appreciated!
• pump dispenser hand soap
• Kitchen roll

They told me to make sure I got another voucher and to come back next week and they'd make sure they have those bits for me. The voucher says the top two reasons for the referral (homelessness and DV for us) and I felt like the pickers were definitely choosing with us in mind. Oh and they asked what cooking facilities we had available to us as well. So yes tastes and requirements accounted for. I'm so glad I went, it was nowhere near as scary as I thought

I usually donate a few items every week and our local one has a list attached at the collection points so I know what things they are looking for. It changes week to week so always worth checking.
I try to do one item from each group (eh some biscuits, some tinned veg, some biscuits, some hygiene products some carbs etc)

Well done OP. Be proud of yourself.
Stay strong, it's hard going.
Remember we're all here if you need us!

Wishing you and your children lots of happiness in your fresh start. You are so brave and your children will grow to be so thankful you created a good life for them.

Well done OP, what a strong woman you are! Will definitely up my contributions, bearing in mind your thoughts.

With all you are going through OP and you've still taken the time to thank people ! Good luck, you've been so brave.

You’re an absolute hero my love
I have nothing to offer you but my sincerest best wishes and admiration for doing the best thing for yourself and your children. You have protected them and ensured yourselves a brighter future.
I donate weekly via ocado, my children’s schools also regularly run donation days for food banks and my girls choose things to donate, including things like sanpro and toothpaste. Hope you get some soon minty stuff soon but if you drop me a PM I will happily send you a couple of tubes.
Stay strong

But also, it’s fabulous to hear that people in need can access these donations and that you had such a positive experience.

I wish you all the luck in the world OP. I hope you find the happiness and peace of mind you deserve.

I've got a funny feeling that food banks across the country will be scratching their heads and asking themselves why they're being inundated with minty toothpaste next week!

I'm so pleased you're in a safe place OP, and that you've found support for you and your DC. Wishing you the very brightest of futures xx

Well done OP. Wishing you and your children all the best.

I am another who gets an Ocado foodbank voucher every time I shop. £2.50 in my shopping list and it adds up as Ocado match it. And as mentioned above my local foodbank has a regularly updated requested list and it’s often surprising things I wouldn’t have thought of (small bags of sugar; small jars of coffee; tinned vegetarian meals) so if you’re donating goods please take a look.

How lovely of you to take the time to say thank you. I love choosing a few things to donate when I do my weekly shop and I will continue to do so knowing how much it helps. Good luck to you and your family 💐

Sending love to you and the little ones op! Im going to start adding a few bits like the adult tooothpaste to my shop to donate when i can.
I wish you all the best xx

Our foodbank always runs out of red jam. Strawberry and raspberry are more popular than black currant.

And we get left with the more unusual items, like olives, jars of mincemeat etc

I've just read through all of your kind words again. Thank you. After being controlled and isolated for so long I've felt so much love from people this week. When we are on our feet again and properly settled I will be putting things in the donation box every single shop.

OP, this was really heartwarming to read. I'm sure you and your DC will do really well with you looking after your family.

My local supermarket has a collection bin, I try and remember to put something in when I go in (although I'm a student and it's Tesco so that's not very often), even if it's just a cheap bag of pasta or a box of cereal or sanitary towels. I've also worked in a food bank, and had to make use of it at some points, the stuff they do is amazing.

That cupboard represents the start of a new life for you and your children. Keep your photo and every few years have a look at it, each item is a virtual hug from a stranger.

Good luck with our new lives.

Oh and turn on your fridge, I lived for years with a fridge in my bedroom.

What a lovely post! Well done for having the strength to leave DV and how lovely that in the midst of all the crap you're going through, you seek to thank the generosity of others.
I hope your DC (and you!) enjoy those Monster Munch! Good luck with everything, you sound lovely and your children are lucky to have you as their mum x