This winter, tens of thousands of people will need an emergency food parcel from a food bank in the Trussell community – many for the first time. This week’s blog has been supplied by Trussell to provide practical information for accessing support.
If you find yourself needing to visit a food bank, getting support is easier than you think.
How do you get support from a food bank?
To get support from the food bank you will need to be referred to a food bank with a food voucher.
How do you get referred to a food bank?
Every food bank works with different frontline professionals, like doctors, health visitors, social workers, and Citizens Advice. If you speak to one of these professionals, they will be able to refer you to a food bank and give you a food bank voucher if they think you need emergency food. Or you can call a food bank and ask how they can help you.
What happens next?
The food bank and referral agency will use this voucher to gather some basic information about you. This will help them to understand why you need support and offer practical guidance, and the right emergency food.
How do you use your voucher?
Once you have been given a voucher, you swap it for a minimum of three days’ emergency food at your nearest food bank centre. You can find your local food bank on the Trussell website: trussell.org.uk/find-a-foodbank
How do food banks work?
Every food bank in the Trussell community of food banks works with a range of local organisations, like housing associations or local Citizens Advice, and they can refer people for emergency support. These organisations will sometimes already be working with someone to support with the situation they’re facing and can provide them with a food bank voucher if needed.
If you’re not already in contact with an organisation that refers to a food bank, we would encourage you to call, or drop into, your local food bank to talk about how to access support in your area.
When you arrive at a food bank, a volunteer will greet you and sit down with you to have a chat over a cup of tea about your situation. Volunteers are trained to direct people to other local agencies or charities that can help resolve the underlying reason for not having enough money for food. More and more food banks are partnering with advice agencies so that additional support can be given at the point of crisis in the food bank.
For more information on Trussell, visit www.trussell.org.uk
