Walk INN - 27 Holywood Road, Belfast BT4 3BA
02895 933232
admin@balcproject.org.uk

Walk INN Food Bank – Independent Local Food Bank For Belfast And Lisburn Community Area

Walk INN Food Bank – Independent Local Food Bank For Belfast And Lisburn Community Area

Walk INN Food Bank

If you cannot collect donate items, most food banks happily accept cash contributions. 

The use of food banks is on rise, with thousands expected to need extra help this winter. Here’s what you need to know to donate to a food bank

Food bank donations are needed more than ever before in UK. There is no escaping economic impact of coronavirus pandemic people are increasingly relying on charity to help them as jobs dry up.

After more than a million children signed up for free school meals this year for first time, it is clear Covid-19 has put a record number of families across UK at risk of going hungry. But anyone can donate to our independent food bank, it is one of most direct ways of helping local people at their most desperate time.

While extension of the furlough scheme is likely to prevent thousands of redundancies, Government u-turn came too late for many they are expecting to see a huge 61 per cent increase in need for food banks in final three months of this year.

Never donated to a food bank before? Don’t know where to find local collection centre near you? Not sure why they exist in first place? Look no further.

Walk INN Food Bank

Why you should donate to a food bank

Food bank use has more than doubled in last six years, with more than 1.9 million people in UK applying for emergency food aid through organisation’s network of food banks in year up to March 31 2020. That’s compared to 913,000 in year before end of March 2013.

The UK’s biggest food aid network reported a 47 per cent rise in demfor food banks between April September 2020 gave out 1.2 million emergency food parcels in same time period. 

“Research finds that Covid-19 has led to tens of thousands of new people needing to use a food bank for first time, this is not right. If we don’t take action now, there will be further catastrophic rises in poverty in future.”

How do food banks work?

Food banks are grassroots services designed to help people in community who may be struggling to pay for food. Schools, churches community centres often set up collections for food banks or donation schemes so do big supermarkets charities, collecting essential items for people who can’t afford them.

People who need support are referred to food banks by doctors, social workers or Citizens Advice receive a voucher they can exchange for three days’ worth of emergency food at a food bank centre. Not all food banks require a voucher but most do only help people who have been referred. The idea that lots of people go to food banks for free groceries is a myth – many users report shame stigma around needing food aid most people only seek a referral after having no income for at least a month, according to Turn2us.

What can you donate to a food bank?

It may have “food” in name but it’s not just things to eat drink you can donate to a food bank. They also give out packs of other essential items like toiletries, tampons, nappies baby food. 

The main thing to bear in mind is that whatever you give may be stored for some time before it goes to those who need it. Avoid things like fresh fruit veg, fish, meat dairy products as it might go bad food bank is unlikely to accept it.

Do food banks need toiletries?

When it comes to non-food items you can donate to a food bank, this can include deodorant, toilet paper, shower gel, shaving gel, shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, tooth paste, hwipes, sanitary towels tampons.

Many also accept household items such as laundry powder or liquids washing up liquid, as well as baby supplies like nappies, baby wipes baby food.

It is worth remembering that luxury items many of us take for granted are out of question for people struggling to put food on table.

You can also play a big part in helping people less fortunate than yourself get items they need. Hosting a collection at your school, church or business can bring people together, raise awareness do a good deed all at same time.

Walk INN Food Bank

We are here to help Homeless Families in Crisis

PROJECT FUNDRAISING

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,