Donate to a local food bank!
Tips on donating to food banks this winter from the Sustainability Service.
Whether you live in Leeds, outside the city or if you’re leaving for the break, consider having a look through your cupboards and donating anything that can be spared.
Unfortunately, the current cost of living crisis is resulting in an increasing number of people turning to foodbanks for their meals. The Trussel Trust has reported “a tsunami of need” following a 40% increase in the number of families using their food banks since the end of 2021.
The story is the same at other food banks. Local community hub Rainbow Junktion has had record numbers of people attending their recent Friday Foodshare resulting in a request for renewed stocks on social media.
What can you donate?
Whilst food banks are still asking for the same basic necessities such as long life milk, pasta, tinned items, sanitary products etc., they are increasingly asking for more ‘non-cook food’. This includes cereal, snacks, jam, peanut butter or food that requires the addition of hot water such as cup-a-soup and pot noodles as foodbank users are not able to afford the energy to heat food.
Where can you donate?
There are many donation points set up in the local community that are collecting for people that desperately need help to feed themselves and their families.
We’ve compiled a handy list of donation points to help you find one that’s close to you.
The Trussell Trust also have donation points across the country and you can find their wishlist and nearest point to you using their website. They also have information on using foodbanks.
Donations are accepted on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays between 10am and 4pm and everything that is donated goes to members of the local community with no need for a referral. Use their wish list to donate their requested items and, remember, any items that are past their best before date are accepted so long as they are in good, usable condition. Only items that have been frozen on (and remained frozen since) their use by date will be accepted.
Donations are accepted Monday — Thursday between 10am and 4pm.
Wishlist:
- Unopened, store bought food which is labelled with an ingredient list and expiry date
- Unopened bottled water and soft drinks
- Sanitary products and nappies
Items not accepted:
- No left overs or home cooked meals
- No meat products
- Nothing which is out of date
- Love in a Box, Leeds Grand Mosque, 9 Woodsley Road, LS6 1SN
Love in a Box is a foodbank that operates from Leeds Grand Mosque. Please only donate halal items although any other items will be passed on to other foodbanks. Use their wishlist to find suggested items. Donations are accepted when the Mosque is open for prayer.
Left Bank are collecting for a winter warm hub at the Cardigan Centre. They are collecting coffee, tea, hot chocolate, sugar, cup-a-soup, tinned soup and long-life alternative milks. Items can be dropped off Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm and weekends between 11am and 4pm.
There is a collection point located in the shop, very close to the entrance. They are collecting for Rainbow Junktion (see above).
There is a donation point collecting items for the Trussel Trust set up at the Co-op in the Leeds University Union building. Items can be dropped off during their opening hours.
