About

How foodbanks work

Providing emergency food to people in crisis.

Every day people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. A simple box of food makes a big difference, with foodbanks helping prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown and mental health problems.

Food is donated

Schools, churches, businesses and individuals donate non-perishable, in-date food to a foodbank. Large collections often take place as part of Harvest Festival celebrations and food is also collected at supermarkets.

Food is sorted and stored

Volunteers sort food to check that it’s in date and pack it ready to be given to people in need. Over 40,000 people give up their time to volunteer at foodbanks.

Professionals identify people in need

Foodbanks partner with a wide range of care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers and police to identify people in crisis and issue them with an electronic voucher that is sent direct to their local foodbank centre.

Clients receive food

Clients attend the next available foodbank session where the voucher issued in their name can be redeemed for three days’ emergency food. Volunteers meet clients over a warm drink or snack and are able to signpost people to agencies able to help solve the longer-term problem.

Our Barleyfields Distribution Centre in Wetherby is open 10am – 11:30am Tuesdays and Fridays; and 10:30am – 12:30pm on Saturdays. If you can’t visit us in Wetherby, please let us know and we can deliver your food to you. Our foodbank covers a wide area including villages and towns between Leeds, York, Harrogate and Boroughbridge.

As a general rule at Wetherby and District Foodbank, we give out eight food parcels over a period of six months. If you need any more food parcels during this period, we will need you to talk to us so that we can work out if there is any additional help you could get that might improve your long-term situation.

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