Geoff Poulton, Freelance writer
Less than 20 years ago, there were just a handful of food banks in the UK. Now they comfortably outnumber McDonald’s franchises, with more than 2,000 stretching from southwest Cornwall to the Shetlands.
Sadly, the financial and social effects of Covid-19 have highlighted just how important food banks have become. Usage is at a record high and many of the UK’s ‘newly hungry’ are having to use food banks for the very first time. But while most people know they exist, there are still plenty of knowledge gaps and misconceptions around food banks. Who are they actually for? How do they work? Who runs them?
Check out our answers to 6 of the most common questions below.
1. Who are food banks for?
At a fundamental level, food banks are there for anyone in the community who needs them. Often, food bank users are unemployed or unable to work due to a physical or mental disability. They may be single-parent families or waiting to receive benefit payments. Some will have been struggling to get by for some time, while others may just be coming to terms with sudden unemployment. Some food bank users may even have a job, but it could be poorly paid part-time or zero-hour contract work. But you can also check Food Bank near me.
2. How do they work - can anyone just show up?
Food bank users don’t need to make an appointment, but many food banks do require a referral from a social worker, GP or even the job centre. Typically, a food parcel is picked up by the person that needs it. However, during the coronavirus pandemic, some food banks are delivering parcels or allowing them to be picked up on behalf of someone else.
3. Who runs all these food banks?
Of the 2,000-plus food banks in the UK, around 1,200 are run by an anti-poverty charity called the Trussell Trust, with the remaining 900 or so run independently. Many have connections to the church, but plenty are secular. Depending on the cultural setting, there are also alternatives to food banks such as community kitchens or soup kitchens.
Most food banks have at least one salaried member of staff, but the vast majority rely on help from volunteers. The Trussell Trust says there are more than 40,000 volunteers working at its food banks.
4. Do they only hand out food?
Not exactly. Food banks give out parcels of household supplies that will typically last between three and seven days. As you might expect, most of it is food: pasta, tinned fruit and veg, rice, tea, soup and so on. But parcels also include items like toiletries, baby supplies and washing powder.
Importantly, food banks are often much more than just somewhere to get the bare essentials. For some users, they may be a much-needed place to chat and meet other people. The majority of food banks will also help connect visitors to other forms of help, including debt advice, mental health support, benefits guidance or even cooking classes. Many will offer some of these services themselves.
5. Where does the food come from?
As you probably know, food banks rely heavily on donations. Individuals, supermarkets, schools, churches and businesses all give non-perishable, in-date food to food banks. Sometimes food banks will also purchase goods from their own funds. Which leads us on to…
6. How are food banks funded?
Obviously the goal of a food bank isn’t to make money. But they do require some funding to pay organisers, run vehicles, purchase food and provide warehouses. Much of this comes via donations from individuals and businesses as well as funding from local authorities. Independent food banks may receive funding from an associated faith group, while the Trussell Trust is also supported by partners like the National Lottery and Comic Relief.
Food banks in your area are helping to feed families in crisis right now. Please give what you can to support their vital work.