Providing emergency food to people in crisis.
Every day people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. A simple box of food makes a big difference, with foodbanks helping prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown and mental health problems.
Food is donated
All food given out is donated (is non-perishable/ long dated), by Schools, churches, businesses, individuals or through supermarket collections.
Food is sorted and stored
At our centre volunteers sort food to check that it’s in date. They also check it is undamaged (and that it an be used in a food parcel) and pack it into crates ready to be used.
Frontline professionals identify people in need
Foodbanks partner with a wide range of care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers and police to identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher.
Clients receive food
Foodbank clients bring their voucher to a foodbank centre where it can be redeemed for three days’ emergency food.
Clients are signposted to further support
Volunteers meet clients over a warm drink or free hot meal and are able to signpost people to agencies able to solve the longer-term problem. As foodbanks are an emergency food-provision service, it is important to get clients in touch with organisations who can help them address the underlying problem(s) of their crisis.