BanktheFood app will help foodbanks get the goods they need

The cost of living is skyrocketing, and more people than ever now seek emergency food parcels.

Pressure is mounting on the 2000 UK foodbanks, with unprecedented demand.

But imagine a foodbank with 1,000 tins of baked beans but no toilet rolls.

Often food banks are inundated with one item but have very little of another and asking donors for specific items is challenging – the situation has usually changed by the time the message has spread.

To help change this, BanktheFood is a new charity set up to help foodbanks get what they need, exactly when they need it.

Readers can help make a difference by downloading the BanktheFood charity app and following their nearest food bank.

The app will then ping their phone a real-time list of urgently needed items when they are at the supermarket, making it easy to add an item or two to their shopping and leave it at the drop-off point when they have finished.

The app is free to download and use, and all foodbanks can register. It’s a simple way to make a huge difference.

Emma Spring
co-founder and volunteer at BanktheFood