Frequently Asked Questions
Read our FAQs for more information
Getting Help
Do I need a referral or a voucher to get food?
No. Unike most emergency food services, we do not operate solely on a third-party referral system, instead, you can self refer. You can request help directly for a food parcel and access to longer-term support. Simply submit your request via our Request a Parcel page and our trained team will get back in touch with you.
What is inside an emergency food parcel?
Our food parcels are packed with a minimum of three days’ worth of nutritionally balanced, non-perishable (ambient) food. A typical parcel includes items like cereal, soup, pasta, rice, pasta sauces, tinned beans, tinned meat, tinned vegetables, tinned fruit, tea, coffee, biscuits, and long-life milk.
We also provide bread, eggs and seasonal fresh fruit/vegetables.
Upon speaking with our team, they’ll also work with you to discuss any other items required; including sanitary products, toiletries, cleaning materials & pet food.
What if I have allergies or specific dietary requirements?
Please include these details when completing the online form. We do our absolute best to accommodate dietary needs, such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, lactose intolerance or specific food allergies.
Do I need to collect my parcel?
No, we operate a unique, discrete delivery service. All items will be delivered to you. We aim to deliver all parcels on the next working day, after you’ve spoken with our team.
Giving Support
What food items do you need the most right now?
While we gratefully accept all in-date, ambient (non-perishable) food donations, our most frequent shortages include:
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Tinned meats (curries, stews, hot dogs, meatballs)
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Tinned vegetables (peas, carrots, sweetcorn, potatoes)
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Tinned desserts (rice pudding, custard, tinned fruit)
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Long-life UHT milk and fruit juices
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Pasta sauces, cooking sauces, and condiments
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Tea, coffee, and biscuits
Keep up-to-date with our shortages via the BanktheFood app
Note: We can only accept food items that are completely sealed and within their “Best Before” or “Use By” dates.
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Where can I drop off food donations?
You can drop off food items at designated collection points across Canterbury. See a full list of our collections points.
For larger donations, you can drop off food items directly at our warehouse. Please contact us to organise a convenient time.
Can I donate money instead of food?
Absolutely. Financial donations give us the flexibility to purchase items we are running low on, cover warehouse running costs and keep our delivery & collections vans on the road. You can make a secure one-off or recurring donation online through our donation page.
How can I volunteer my time?
We are always looking for friendly faces to help us run our services! Typical volunteer roles include:
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Sorting, dating, and stacking food donations in the warehouse.
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Preparing and packing individual food parcels for adults and children.
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Driving or assisting with food parcel deliveries across the district.
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Helping collection food donations and raise awareness via our supermarket days.
If you have a spare morning, afternoon, or day to give, please get in touch via our volunteer page. You can volunteer ad-hoc, or regularly via a schedule.
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