Frequently Asked Questions

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:

  • Tinned meats (curries, stews, hot dogs, meatballs)

  • Tinned vegetables (peas, carrots, sweetcorn, potatoes)

  • Tinned desserts (rice pudding, custard, tinned fruit)

  • Long-life UHT milk and fruit juices

  • Pasta sauces, cooking sauces, and condiments

  • 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.

• 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:

  • Sorting, dating, and stacking food donations in the warehouse.

  • Preparing and packing individual food parcels for adults and children.

  • Driving or assisting with food parcel deliveries across the district.

  • 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.