You may not have thought it but 15,000 people in Cambridge are living on the edge of poverty*
* Government Indices of deprivation 2007
If you were in crisis.
Where would you turn?
Many of us have friends and family to turn to when the going gets tough. But what if your family could no longer help and you had nowhere else to go? What if the kids were hungry, the cupboards bare and you're not sure where the next meal is coming from?
Thats where Cambridge City Foodbank helps. By giving people food and support when they need it most - helping to avert greater disaster and greater poverty.
Just by giving food and/or money to Cambridge City Foodbank - you can be a vital part of the community thats helping to feed Cambridge's people in crisis.
Help us to put together meails for those in need?
Do you want to
live in that city?
Then take a look at our shopping list on the
Donations Page and help
those in need in Cambridge!
Beans
Coffee
Sweet Corn
Also follow us on Facebook :-
For the latest updates of what we need in food or
help please like our facebook page...
All links to external sites are not the responsibility of Cambridge City Foodbank and any opinions expressed are not endorsed or supported as such.
What is The Food Bank?
The Food Bank is a ground-breaking concept designed to help individuals and families in crisis by providing free emergency food, while care agencies help long term.
This project was originally pioneered by the Trussell Trust in Salisbury and their aim is to open Foodbanks all around the country. Cambridge City Foodbank is run by a charitable trust incorporating three churches from various denominations of the christian faith, the trustees are from Cambridge Community Church , Our Lady and the English Martyrs and S t Pauls Church .
In a nutshell The Foodbank is a straightforward system of collection, collation and distribution of basic food items to support people at times of crisis.
The Foodbank collects a variety of tinned and dried foods through supermarkets, organisations, churches and individuals.
The Foodbank exchanges "Food Vouchers" for enough food for 3 days at our distribution centre.
For more information on The Trussel Trust please watch this informative video from YouTube.
Who is it for?
The Food Bank is there for anyone in short term crisis due to unexpected unemployment, benefit delay, debt, sickness etc
It works on a voucher basis. Voucher holders are front line care professionals such as health visitors and care agencies. They will assess the need for the immediate crisis and give vouchers to clients in need.
A voucher can be exchanged at one of our "Food Bank Distribution Centres" for a bag of nutritionally balanced tinned and dried food to last 3 days for a single person through to a family of 4.
The Food Bank network has already helped many people in crisis across the uk, people who have had benefit delays, unemployment, sickness, homelessness, family breakup and rehousing problems. The main feedback we are getting from these people is that 'without the Food Bank we would not have known what to do!'
Where and how is food distributed?
The Food Bank Distribution Centre operates twice a week and details of its opening times and location are advertised on the vouchers given out by the care proffessionals who fill in the voucher. The Food Bank looks to offer outlets at more sites across Cambridge as our service moves forward to allow more people faster access to our service in all locations of Cambridge.
The Distribution Centre is open twice a week and is staffed by trained volunteers, details of these centre locations and openning details can be found on the vouchers supplied by care proffessionals.
A voucher will be exchanged for the 3 days food supply and staff are available for a friendly chat over a drink.
Sign posting for further help will be offered, including debt counselling (CAP), advocacy etc.
Who can help?
Anyone who would like to make a difference in the lives of others can give food at our Supermarket collections or at the distribution centre.
Churches, schools, workplaces, activity groups can also collect food. Any group willing to collect or organise a satellite collection point will be appropriately supported by the project team.
You can volunteer your time to help in the Warehouse, Distribution Centre or at the Supermarket collection days. Or you can organise a Food Bank collection event in your church or group that you are part of.
You can become a Voucher holder registered with the Food Bank if you are a care agency, a health visitor, GP or an organisation dealing with people in need.
Anybody who is interested in having a collection box or a special collection event at their hobby group or work place should Contact Us for an information pack. It's very easy!
The most encouraging thing about people's involvement has been their willingness to pitch in and help their neighbours in crisis by giving a tin here or a packet there, and it soon all mounts up so Thank you!
Donations
For The Food Bank to run successfully we need to receive regular contributions, whatever their size! Donations are gratefully received.
If you would like to make a donation, you can write a cheque made payable to Cambridge City Food Bank, and send it to the address on the Contact Us page.
If you would like to set up a regular payment to The Food Bank, you can set up a standing order for as little as £3 a month contact the address on the details page for a standing order form.
If you are a taxpayer, the Gift Aid Tax Recovery Scheme will significantly increase the value of your gift at no extra cost to yourself. Please ask for a Gift Aid Form.
Shopping list A4.pdf
Why not also click our trolley to download
or print our Shopping List to take to the supermarket the next time you shop!
Collections
Local Foodbank collection information will be advertised on this page and we would love volunteers to help, if you feel you can spare an hour or two every so often a foodbank can collect a large amount of food in a morning collect that will help keep stock levels up at our warehouse.
Our Next Collections will be:-
Thursday 24th November - Sainsburys Coldhams Lane Cambridge - 7.30am - 19.30pm
Friday 2nd December - Sainsburys Coldhams Lane Cambridge - 7.30am - 19.30pm
Cambridge City Foodbank would like to thank the local companies and organisations opposite for supporting us so far.
Contact Us
We would love to hear from you :-
Write to:- Cambridge City Foodbank
C/O OLEM, Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 1JR
(Postal only)
Please call for details of our warehouse location and opening times
Call:- 07772 538628
Email:- Info_cambridgecityfoodbank.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 1139122
