food banks collecting in supermarkets

[TotallySociallyInept]

I popped into a supermarket on my way home. Not in the town I usually shop. This town is notorious for it very wealthy residents the whole area is. There was someone collecting for the food bank in the foyer. Lots of people took a list leaflet (they didn't have to, the fb person wasn't in the way or holding them out to people) I took one too. As I went round I tried to get as much as I could afford for the bank. In the past I have come very close to needing a fb. So my heart goes out to people and families that need them especially near Xmas. I'm not at all well off now. But I felt I could do this even if I may regret it later on in the month. I spent about £25-30. I take ages to shop. So when I came to hand over 3 bags to the bank, I was shocked to see the trolleys almost as empty as I went in and the fb person surprised I was giving him bags instead of 1 or 2 items. I wondered if this was normal? if they collect in less affluent areas, do they get more donations because people have more empathy? Or is just me?

DS2(17) is the only one of his friendship group with a car. Every week he runs them round to buy lunches etc, and they usually give him some money. Last week when they went to buy their lunches in Tesco there were volunteers collecting for the foodbank so he told them all to buy something for them. Between the 4 of them, including DS2, they bought 20 tins of soup.

We live in an affluent area too, the trolleys in the Co-Op are usually empty, I normally put some cereal and pasta in.

I only give a few items , but every time I shop.
Usually something on BOGOF .

I keep emailing my online supermarket about setting up the ability to donate on an online shop but so far no reply !

I donated this week to the one at my local Tesco's, Im by no means well off at all but were doing ok enough to afford the odd treat.

Instead of wandering around Tesco's buying just a box of cereal though i took out £20 and went to b&m instead, spent the money on branded goods - cereal, tea bags, sugar, Biscuits selection box etc and took the 2 bags back to tesco to give to the lady, she was over joyed and gave ds a sticker which made his day!

Ive donated some smash before to one in a more affluent area, it was all I could afford at the time as I didn't have much money, the lady I gave it to on the way out took it from me without as much as a smile.

Honeypie - I'm sorry she reacted like that. Smash is one of the most requested items at mine!

Caulkhead, what else is good to give? I read food banks are over supplied with beans.

That is odd, honeypie. It is one of the most requested items here too.

Tinned meat is good, of any sort. And puds. You have no idea how much of a smile a tin of steamed pud or rice pudding gets.

But not many people donate soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo...

We often want long life milk, variety pack cereals (can be split between people) tinned meat, tinned fruit, packet cakes. Also nappies and sanpro, but that isn't often listed.

Try and think of people only using a microwave - often too expensive to put oven/hob on if you're on a metre.

extra apparently they have plenty of pasta too.

I often give tea , coffee. , dried milk and sugar. Instant hot chocolate, jam, peanut butter.

I volunteer for a foodbank and sometimes do this collecting at supermarkets. I don't know if the less affluent areas are more generous as a whole but have noted in one of the supermarkets we collect in that the smartly dressed people, who look as though they might afford more, are often the ones who say "NO thanks" when offered a leaflet

Oh and Heinz tomato soup!

Comfort in a bowl.

Extra our local one has big stocks of beans pasta and soup. With only limited storage they've had to ask people to donate different items and sadly got a lot of flack. (Beggars shouldn't be choosers apparently )
UHT milk is always popular and I always buy Ribena on bogoff for the foodbank as its such a luxury, is a good source of vitamin C (few foodbank a can store fruit), and a little goes a long way. As its dilutable you can give a family drinks for a week in a way you can't with juice (too heavy to carry home).

UHT milk is always in demand. My local foodbank has enough pasta, the last collection I did we smiled and said thank you for any donations of pasta but put them in a separate crate and and Tesco swapped them.

There weren't any requests for toiletries on the list I got yesterday, so I just donated food.

I'm really pleased to see that soap/toothpaste/toothbrushes/sanpro are all wanted.
These are exactly the things I donated last time I was at Tesco.

I had a peek in the trolley and it was all food, and I just thought they might be needed.
I had been doubting myself though, I think I will always donate these things now, and grab some chocolate to go in too.

Our local supermarkets don't have foodbank collection points but the city has a big central foodbank that goes round taking any fresh food donations from the big shops for the soup kitchens and stashing long life food.

If we want to donate we have to make a trip to the foodbank to do it so every few months we pick up 10 or so's worth of instant mash, tinned fruit, tinned stew and chicken curry, biscuits and jam and take it over.

This month we told a friend what we were planning and she joined in, we pooled our money and ended up with about 8 shopping bags of the usual stuff plus tea bags, hot chocolate, UHT milk and treats including some advent calendars. We took advantage of as many 2for1, 3for2 etc. offers as possible and stuck to B&M and Sainsburys Basics. It's definitely worth doing regularly and checking beforehand to see if there's anything they particularly need.

Oh! Maybe that explains it , bunbaker.

We are always asking for toothpaste and toothbrushes.

asked for

Our local Waitrose, fairly affluent area, has a notice on the door when you go in, saying what the food bank is short of, and what it doesn't need. I usually get a couple of items from the needed list, and do this on a regular basis. Then drop it into the collecting point on the way out.

I am afraid that I couldn't afford three extra bags full every time! There isn't any need to guilt trip people about how much they give.

I Want to make a donation to our local foodbank this Christmas. Is it just as acceptable to donate cash or do they prefer the food donation? Would love to hear from anyone who works at the foodbank as I am genuinely not sure what to do.

I try and always put something in the trolley at my local tesco.
When they first started the manned trolleys a few months ago I did my shopping and put in a few bags of stuff. I was just off benefits and out of temp council accommodation after my marriage breakdown a year before it could so easily have been me needing them at some point.

I try and buy a mix of treats and practical things. I always put in toiletries, nappies and San pro as well. The things I have in the past scraped together my last fiver for.

I live in a medium sort of area. Not affluent, but not deprived either. Our local Coop has a food bank collection box, which nearly always seem to be full (although I don't know how often they empty it), so I think people are quite generous.

I have donated several things but DH is quite sceptical about it - he says it would be better to give to the food bank directly so they could bulk buy wholesale food and cheaper prices.

^ at cheaper prices

Hold I'm not sure about cash so can't answer but tesco donate 30% of the day's food bank food equivalent if you donate through them so the food bank gets a bit extra that way too.