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?

Also our church has moved its 'Christmas' food bank collection to January as the local food bank told us they were inundated with stuff coming up to Christmas but got very little in the new year.

We would accept mini toiletries.

Re nappies. I bought a couple of packs of Highly recommended supermarket own brand nappies, but only used one on sensitive skinned DS, who got nappy rash, so couldn't continue with them. I know others rave about them though. The closed packet is one thing, but would a food bank take an opened packet? There are still about 30 nappies in it. If not, would anyone? Seems stupid for them to go to waste

We wouldn't be able to accept open nappies for the fb but I bet someone on here could do with them. We would just keep them under the changing table for anyone who needed one.

Ah, so I could take them to the children's centre or similar?

Generally speaking, all size nappies are wanted by fbs?

All sizes, but especially larger ones at ours. Often small ones are given/bought to or by the family when the baby is born, but by the time they reach 18months+ other things have taken priority.

I volunteer at our local FB and distributed leaflets on Friday at the local Tesco - fairly affluent area. People are often cynical about the need for food banks in our area but there are people who desperately need help, who have lost their jobs, split with their partner, waiting on benefitsetc in wealthy areas too, there just isn't much local help for them.
There were only a few people who complained to me about food banks - they were all older people....but on the flip side some older people were enormously generous too. At our FB we run low on meat and fish and have excessive quanitities of pasta and beans.
Consider donating some cooking oil, sauces, milk, puddings.

KinkyDorito, in our Sainsbury's they do have a collection point all the time, I keep forgetting to buy things to put in it. I only ever donate a couple of things but then we struggle with money.

dancing caulk any call for paracetamol / cold and flu sachets / vaporub type things?
I tend to donate non-food items like shampoo/toothpaste / toothbrushes / sanpro as ours is full of food only usually and wondered about these...

We can't give anything medicinal out, but toilet roll always needed.

I thought that would be the case, thanks for clarifying

I've given ready-mixed baby formula before now, as the big powder tubs are SO expensive I can easily imagine running out and not being able to buy another one. I'm assuming that doesn't fall foul of any pro-BM rules?

I give nappies, sanpro and the usual food of pasta, soup, cereal etc.

I also give a few packets of cake mix and icing and candles for the kids who might not have a birthday cake otherwise.

Baby formula always good. We don advertise we need it or often end up with a lot, when it's not required as often as other stuff. However it makes a massive difference to be able to provide someone with it.

TotallySociallyInept, it's because you are a very good person.

In many foodbank collections, they have just said "buy an extra item or a few" so I guess most people mentally think "ok, I'll just buy an extra tin of sardines or a few tins of baked beans".

Others also don't realise there are many people in hardship, and just think, "I have to get my gourmet goose fat/marinated smoked salmon/etc because that's my overwhelming concern of the day". Or they are in a hurry. Not many people realise poverty is a problem in the UK - or want to admit it. Often, donations to good causes are also more generous among the less well off than the wealthy. (A relative of mine used to say, "You see, that's how they got wealthy! By being tightfisted towards others!")

PS If you bought a whole grocery shop's worth, you should keep the bill and add it to your taxes. It's actually tax deductible. See the hmrc website if you're not sure. This might be a hassle if all your taxes are deducted PAYE and you don't get to do self assessment. If you do donate this generously fairly often throughout the year, however, consider asking hmrc for self assessment and- you may be paying too much tax.

I used to drop a few items into the FB trolley every time I shopped. However, our local paper ran an article last week about our local food banks running very low, so decided to see what I could do to help in a bit more of an organised way.

I asked in my class at Uni last week if anyone could spare a bit of change, so I could buy stuff. I was stunned when a class of 10 people donated £37. That got a shopping trolley full of stuff from Aldi. My DS and I have knocked on our neighbours doors tonight and they have all promised is food to collect on Wednesday.

Thursday evening is my DS's Christmas party (from his football club) and all the parents have agreed to donate.

Should have about 30 bags of food in all and the local food bank are even sending someone to collect it all at weekend. Which is very kind of them, as I only have a tiny car/boot.

It doesn't matter if it is 1 tin, 1 bag full or 50 bags, it all helps and I think it is fantastic that so many on MN contribute in whatever way they can.

Ooh, growl, never knew that!!! It's no use at my end of the income distribution, but could very well help motivate some of those better-off shoppers.

I also live in a fairly affluent town (very much so compared with those around about).

I had been planning to donate to the local food bank for Christmas anyway & e-mailed them about 3 weeks ago to ask what they were particularly short of at the moment. They replied that they were floating in soup but would really love some puddings, biscuits, tomato sauce & maybe some Christmas treats.

I bought all of the stuff but was finding it hard to drop it off during the food bank opening hours, due to work. So when I saw Tesco was having a collection drive for them last week I decided to take it all there instead as they are open 24 hours. Plus they were advertising that they would give an extra 30% on all donations made there.

The two women and one man co-ordinating the collection looked pretty bemused at me entering the supermarket with a trolley already full of shopping, but did say that they were so grateful because they don't ever get much donated in our town!

It surprised me a bit it did.

I thought I'd add the list off my local food bank's website:

Shopping List We can ONLY put in our
boxes items from this list.
No Low Calorie Foods please. ? Fruit Juice (1ltr carton UHT)
? Tomatoes (Tinned or Carton)
? Tinned Fruit
? Tinned Vegetables
? Tinned Meat
? Tinned Fish
? Rice Pudding (Tinned)
? Cereal (Medium 500g ONLY)
? Pasta Sauces (jars or sachets)
? Sugar (small and large bags)
? Pasta (Medium bags of dried pasta. NO sachets of ‘pasta & sauce’ mixes)
? Milk (Full Fat or Semi- Skimmed UHT)
? Sponge Pudding (Tinned)
? Biscuits or snack bars
? Tea Bags/Instant Coffee (Medium or small)
? Jam (not homemade)
? Instant Mash Potato
We give out the food in bags for life, if you could give donate one with your shopping that would be great.
Thank You for Supporting Us

I understand storage may be a problem in food banks but the thing that jumped out was the 500g packs of cereal only. I often buy the huge packs that don't fit the cupboard, and they're often on offer for less money. A 500g pack wouldn't last long for a family.

I'm glad there are treats on there and it's not frowned upon to give biscuits.

Your local FB sounds a bit strict in its' requests Ijust .
I help run a FB (independent, not Trussel) and we accept anything.

Perhaps asking for medium size boxes of cereal is because of storage or difficulty in carrying the food - most people who use the FB tend to come on foot so perhaps they can't carry large boxes of cereal with everything else? .

We are doing a supermarket collection this saturday, will be interesting to observe what we receive and what people's reactions are.

A very good point was made earlier about receiving lots of donations at this time of year but they will seriously drop off in January/February - personally that is when I will give my 'big Christmas donation' - when the stocks are low .

I try and give a tin of something once a week as there's a collection place for one can at one of our toddler groups.
We live month to month so if anything happened to dps job we would be in there asking for food.
Interesting about nappies, will throw an extra pack in next time I'm shopping!

I worry about the own brand vs branded thing though, we live very close to the breadline so have a lot of own brand food, I think I read somewhere to donate what you normally eat, no worse, is that still the case? I don't want a cheapy tin of something to look unkind or unthought about when it's actually all we can afford ourselves? :/

I would like to see a public campaign challenging this government on why even people in work are having to depend on food banks.

Reports that children and young people are so hungry they are turning to prostitution to eat.

Police report an increase in people stealing food for personal use. This says something about the current shocking state of the UK.

Morning all. Some great posts again. jane I quite agree with you as (I don't know the facts but hopefully someone will) the need for food banks in the last 5-10 years has rocketed.

I'd like to donate bread but it's classed as perishable so don't. But do food banks hand out bread from local businesses or anything. As when we were struggling bread was a staple kids got toast for breakfast. Beans on toast for lunch sometimes dinner. I tried to make a nutritious meal for dinner normally. I'd buy 800g of mince then divide it into 3. So I could make shepherds pie/pasta/chilly con Carney. I use to silently scream inside when the mince price would change by 5-10p . Then found Frozen mince.

Whilst the govt can be held responsible for some of the reasons people are relying on food banks (unfair sanctions, cost if living, low wages) there are lots of people that would rely on food banks and crime to feed themselves regardless. People with addictions for example: they will never prioritise food before feeding their addictions. People with high levels of debt due to spending habits are another group who might rely on food banks regardless of govt policy. There will always be some people who need found banks. The current level of food bank need is shocking though and isn't going to improve whilst we have low wages, high living costs and silly benefit sanctions.