Food banks - please read!

[Bid]

A while ago I read this blog post (Hunger Hurts by Jack Munroe) and I don't want to sound dramatic, but it changed my life. If you haven't read it, please do. But grab the tissues because the end will hit you like a steam train (and if you're anything like me, leave you lying in bed at night in tears thinking about all the poor kids who have gone to bed with hungry tummies that night, and make you kiss your kids an extra ten times).

The blog inspired me to look at the food banks in my area, and to my horror I found there were 13 a week running in my town alone - all of which are busy. A small seaside town in a pretty affluent area - relying on charity to feed people in 2014! It beggars belief. I read heartbreaking story after heartbreaking story - like the couple who had to beg a tin of soup off a neighbour so their 18 month old daughter didn't have to go to bed hungry. People who, through no fault of their own, find themselves with the cupboards bare and literally no money to buy food. Working people, people on benefits, old people, young people, single people, married couples, kids. People I pass on the street every day, going hungry. It's shameful.

Anyway, the point of my post - even if you don't give to food banks regularly, please try to donate something in the run-up to Christmas. It doesn't have to be much, but everything really does make a difference. I give normal food regularly but I've just donated a pile of Christmas treats this afternoon because the thought of kids going without at Christmas, thinking santa forgot them, just breaks my heart. 30 selection boxes, 10 chocolate oranges, 10 Disney biscuit tins, 12 chocolate santa and 14 bags of chocolate coins. All bargains from Wilkos and the Poundshop but 76 smiles on 76 little faces this year. And I'm going shopping on Friday to buy some stocking filler gifts to donate. The thought of these kids getting something that makes them happy gives me such joy, especially knowing they are local kids. On another post Jack writes about trying to save up enough money to buy her son one gift from the 99p shop just so he'd have SOMETHING to open on Christmas day. And every time I think about it, I just want to cry. We are so lucky to be financially comfortable and it could all change in an instant.

The Trussell Trust is running a nationwide foodbank collection at Tesco stores this week. If you are passing, or doing your shopping, please donate something. It doesn't have to be Christmas themed - they always need 'normal' food too. But spreading a bit of Christmas cheer to families who usually survive on rice and powdered milk is a great thing.

You can find details of your local foodbank here, along with details of what to donate (basically anything non-perishable like rice, pasta, tins, jars, packets, UHT/powdered milk - also things like soap, toothpaste, deodorant are always welcomed). Most also have a Facebook page.

Thanks for reading

 

[Leliana]

Fantastic and important post. I read the same article and it's very sobering. I share the same thoughts as you, that I cannot believe that in this day and age we can allow people to go hungry. I will be donating and I hope everyone else will too! Thank you for reminding us about this

 

[liz1985]

I'm donating to a food bank, and also a toy for a campaign our local radio station is running. It doesn't have to cost much. I could easily give a couple of noah and esmés presents and they'd never know on Christmas morning, they get that much they wouldn't miss it, but for the family who receives it, it means the world.

 

[R_x]

I keep meaning to put something in the supermarket collection for the local food bank but I forget until I pass it on the way out and haven't got anything must remember next time.
There's a collection for toys too which I keep meaning to get something for x

 

[Louise88]

In the summer my oh lost his job and we had to rely on our local food bank while housing benefit and other benefit was getting sorted at this time I was receiving £110 a week this had to pay our monthly rent aswell as gas and electric so we had nothing. I had to beg family members for £10 to buy my ds formula as the food bank didn't have any. I now every couple of weeks spend £5 in morrisons for our food bank it's amazing how much you can buy for £5 when buying morrisons own brand, box of cornflakes 31p soup 24p etc. I have also bought formula a couple tubs of formula aswell for that family who do have a small baby and can't afford to feed them

 

[Bid]

In the summer my oh lost his job and we had to rely on our local food bank while housing benefit and other benefit was getting sorted at this time I was receiving £110 a week this had to pay our monthly rent aswell as gas and electric so we had nothing. I had to beg family members for £10 to buy my ds formula as the food bank didn't have any. I now every couple of weeks spend £5 in morrisons for our food bank it's amazing how much you can buy for £5 when buying morrisons own brand, box of cornflakes 31p soup 24p etc. I have also bought formula a couple tubs of formula aswell for that family who do have a small baby and can't afford to feed them

Louise that's so good to hear. Every time I mention a foodbank to someone they look down their nose and always assume it's just drug addicts and scroungers who use them, it really annoys me. Food poverty can hit anyone.

Can you give us a list of recommended items to donate? Obviously being on the other side of things you've gone an insight that I don't and I'd love to get some pointers from you so I can take the most useful things. Formula is such an obvious one and I've never even thought of it

 

[Amber4]

I don't want to read the post as it will really upset me

My Tesco has trolleys for food and I will be doing £20 worth of shopping to go in there when I next do my shop xx

 

[Tattoo]

Tesco are boosting donations by 30% over the Christmas period.

 

[the why bird]

On the same note, does anyone know if the food bank will accept nappies? I have a couple of packets my son has already outgrown (unopened). I know they don't advertise giving out non-food items but if I stuck it in their collection box, do you think they'd mind? Seems like there must be some people with young babies collecting a box that might appreciate them.

 

[Amber4]

Tesco are boosting donations by 30% over the Christmas period.

Yes I saw that. I think it's fab xx

 

[Bid]

On the same note, does anyone know if the food bank will accept nappies? I have a couple of packets my son has already outgrown (unopened). I know they don't advertise giving out non-food items but if I stuck it in their collection box, do you think they'd mind? Seems like there must be some people with young babies collecting a box that might appreciate them.

Ours definitely does x

 

[toptrump]

What a lovely post

Gabriella's school donated all the harvest festival food to a food bank. It got me thinking. Jason manford has been urging everyone to donate selection boxes and advent calendars and apparent some are now flooded and putting please out of sanitary products, toilet rolls, toothpaste, shampoo etc, so I have already decided that's am going to go to home bargains before Christmas and stock up to take.

I took Gabriella to toys r us last week and let her choose two toys one for a boy and one for a girl and let her put them in the trolley and explained why. I want her to know about things like this

 

[BabyHill]

What a great post! I've not read the blog post yet... My lo is teething and up so don't want to blub in front of her.

I usually double up on toothpaste, toothbrushes, sanitary items, biscuits and toilet roll to donate and non have been refused

Its so sad that so many people, through no fault of their own, are relying on foodbanks and not able to provide their children with even the basics. The number of children in food poverty in Scotland is obscene (1 in 4) and I honestly don't understand personally how a government can let it get this bad. (I'll save you a huge rant haha) but its certainly a topic more people should be aware of. It can honestly hit anyone. X

 

[CormacksGirl]

I donated a bagful is shopping to LOs nursery as they are collecting for our local food bank.

As well as tinned everyday goods I also included 2 selection packs, 2 advent calenders, pack of 5 Terrys chocolate orange bars and a box of shortbread. Hopefully somewhere someone can have a little bit of Christmas that might not otherwise have had!

I did also feel guilty that I bought this stuff without having LO with me as it would be good thing to teach him so I'll maybe take him with me to get some toiletries to add as well as I when I got home I put a wash on and thought if folk can't afford food may be they can't afford toiletries so I shall be adding washing powder etc too!

 

[leoniebabey]

our asda has a collection trolly for local food banks going to pop a few bits in.

i'm on the hunt for a toy donation but havnt saw any this year the supermarkets usually have one but i've not saw them this year!

 

[Amber4]

our asda has a collection trolly for local food banks going to pop a few bits in.

i'm on the hunt for a toy donation but havnt saw any this year the supermarkets usually have one but i've not saw them this year!

I haven't seen any toy ones either as I would totally donate a few of LO toys from what I've bought her xx

 

[toptrump]

our asda has a collection trolly for local food banks going to pop a few bits in.

i'm on the hunt for a toy donation but havnt saw any this year the supermarkets usually have one but i've not saw them this year!

I have only seen them in toys r us this year

 

[Lilicat]

Thanks for the reminder, we don't usually shop at Tesco (it isn't that local) but we will be picking up an order this week. I will ensure we add some items to the food collection trolleys.

Hopefully Asda will do a collection trolleys as well as it is easier for us to donate at Asda, we shop there so I can add a few items every time I am in. They had them last year.

We already do the toy collections as I know one of the people who volunteers for it.

 

[Louise88]

In the summer my oh lost his job and we had to rely on our local food bank while housing benefit and other benefit was getting sorted at this time I was receiving £110 a week this had to pay our monthly rent aswell as gas and electric so we had nothing. I had to beg family members for £10 to buy my ds formula as the food bank didn't have any. I now every couple of weeks spend £5 in morrisons for our food bank it's amazing how much you can buy for £5 when buying morrisons own brand, box of cornflakes 31p soup 24p etc. I have also bought formula a couple tubs of formula aswell for that family who do have a small baby and can't afford to feed them

Louise that's so good to hear. Every time I mention a foodbank to someone they look down their nose and always assume it's just drug addicts and scroungers who use them, it really annoys me. Food poverty can hit anyone.

Can you give us a list of recommended items to donate? Obviously being on the other side of things you've gone an insight that I don't and I'd love to get some pointers from you so I can take the most useful things. Formula is such an obvious one and I've never even thought of it

good things for us at the time were things like;

Cornflakes or porriage
Beans
Soup
Pasta
Jars of sauce for pasta bakes or bolognese
tinned fruit
Biscuits
pasta and sauces
packs of noodles
long life cartons of milk
Jars of Baby food
tinned things like mince and onion, chicken tikka etc.
Rice

That's all I can think of from the top of my head and these are usually things I pick up as well when donating.

 

[Bid]

Makes me so happy that people are donating

I only choose to donate cash to small local charities because I like to know that my money will make a difference rather than paying for bigwig executives and fancy advertising etc. The food bank is an even better cause because I know that every single item I buy will be used by someone local who needs it. I love putting things in my trolley and knowing it'll be appreciated - the other day I was putting jelly pots in and imagining a little boy somewhere eating it and saying yummy yummy, rubbing his tummy like my DS does! Really makes you feel like you're making a difference in a way that chucking some change in a charity box just can't