Supporting London’s food banks
Food banks in our capital are struggling to provide enough support to those who desperately need it. Can you donate to support them this winter?
The cost of living crisis is hitting Londoners hard—and could significantly worsen over the course of the colder winter months.
Food banks are struggling to cope with rising need amidst a fall in donations, insufficient supplies from supermarkets, and overstretched teams. Some have needed to reduce the level of support they provide and are unsure whether they can continue to operate.
The Mayor continues to call on the Government to provide greater support to everyone affected by the cost of living crisis, but there are ways you can help too.
Donate to food banks
If you’re in a comfortable enough place to do so, please consider giving generously to the following organisations:
City Harvest
City Harvest puts surplus food to good use in a sustainable way by collecting this food from restaurants and other food establishments in London.
City Harvest then redistribute and deliver high quality, nourishing food to help organisations provide meals to vulnerable people including homeless shelters, soup kitchens, children's programmes, centres for the elderly, and refuges for women experiencing domestic violence.
£50 could provide 400 meals visiting a soup kitchen.
FareShare
FareShare is the UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors, made up of 18 independent organisations with the mission of taking good quality surplus food from across the food industry.
FareShare works with food businesses to redistribute food that cannot be sold in shops, either because of packaging errors, cancelled orders, seasonal gluts or a short shelf life. That food, which is perfectly good to eat is then redistributed to help charities and community groups create millions of meals for the most vulnerable people.
Independent Food Aid Network
Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) seeks to connect and support grassroots independent food aid providers, to provide a voice for these groups by advocating on their behalf at a national level, and to campaign for food security for all and the end for the need of emergency food aid in the UK.
People are needing to access emergency supplies across the capital because they cannot afford to buy food. Your donations will mean food banks can fill the gap until poverty levels are reduced.
IFAN's vision is of a nation that does not need emergency food aid, and in which good food is accessible to all.
London's Community Kitchen
London's Community Kitchen works with dedicated individuals and charitable partners across the city to ensure the most vulnerable communities can access free or affordable food via community cafes, food surplus markets, training initiatives and much, much more.
Their ethos is zero waste, zero hunger and they believe it is an absolute human right to have access to affordable food.
The Felix Project
The Felix Project is a charity that rescues safe and nutritious surplus food from the food industry to reduce food waste and food poverty.
This is done by collecting food from supermarkets, wholesalers and other food suppliers – food that is fresh and nutritious, but cannot be sold for various reasons. It is then redistributed and delivered to a range of charities across London who provide meals, snacks or food parcels ensuring food that would have gone to waste is for reaching vulnerable people in London.
The Mayor’s fund for London
The Mayor’s fund for London is an independent charity, championing social mobility for young Londoners from low-income backgrounds.
They are raising vital funds for the Kitchen Social programme, which is currently supporting local community organisations all over London to provide packed lunches, hot food for collection and food hampers for vulnerable families.
The Mayors Fund for London are working closely with other charities working in this area to coordinate their efforts and make sure that no child goes hungry during this period.
- £12 will provide a healthy and nutritious recipe box for a family of four.
- £50 will provide one young person will unlimited access to careers advice and guidance.
- £100 will provide food and activities for 20 young people for 1 day during the school holidays.
The Trussell Trust
The Trussell Trust supports a network of food banks to provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK.
Trusell Trust mission brings communities together to end hunger and poverty in the UK by providing compassionate, practical help with dignity whilst challenging injustice.