How to set up a food bank

If you’ve made it to this page, you’ve already started the first of our five key steps for how to set up a food bank. Everyone across the UK deserves equal access to food and should never have to go hungry, but while we all work towards long-term change, food banks have become a necessity for many across the country.

The Trussel Trust reported a 37% increase in the three-day food parcels it distributed from March 2022 to April 2023. In addition, a YouGov survey by the Food Foundation found that the percentage of households in the UK classed as ‘food insecure’ had more than doubled between January 2022 and June 2023.

Although food inflation in the UK has fallen to its lowest rate in the last 2 years, millions of people nationwide are still affected by food poverty, and food banks have become so important for those in crisis. If you want to help, you’ll find advice on how to set up a food bank in this blog to get you started.

5 key steps to setting up a food bank

1.      Do your research

The first thing you should do before setting up a food bank in your local area is carry out some thorough research. This should include checking where a food bank might be most needed in the area, deciding what kind of food bank you'll run, and looking at the regulations set out by your local authority.

The type of food bank you're thinking of while doing your research is likely a general food bank, but there are several other types, too, such as food banks for pets and people experiencing homelessness, as well as those who are housebound or following special diets.

If you're thinking of starting a more specialist food bank, you'll need to conduct further research into what's needed in your area. Contacting other food banks nearby is also a great idea to find out more information.

Depending on the type of food bank you want to run, you may also be able to get funding from your local authority to help you do so. Running a food bank requires you to follow the same rules and regulations as other food businesses, so looking into these is also really important.

Contacting your local authority is a good way to get started. If you'll be supplying food to the community regularly, you must register as a food business with your local authority at least 28 days before handing out provisions.

And like any other business, you'll also need to consider how you'll get the word out to your local community to attract volunteers, donors, and customers to ensure they know you're there.

It may seem daunting initially, so it's a good idea to start small and scale up as you go. If you're looking for further help on where to start, organisations like The Trussel Trust also offer support and guidance for those looking to start a food bank and help their local community.

2.      Collecting supplies

It sounds obvious, but to run a successful food bank, you'll need to find out where you'll get your donations from. You can try things like running food drives, collecting surplus food from businesses and supermarkets, approaching local farms, and purchasing food yourself when it needs topping up. 

Food banks often don't just stock food, either. Many offer toiletries and hygiene products, too, so keep that in mind when you're looking for supplies. It's also worth considering whether you need to stock low or no-cook options for those who may not have access to an oven to prepare food.

You may need help contacting local businesses or supermarkets to get them on board. In that case, organisations like The Trussell Trust, FareShare, and the Independent Food Aid Network all offer support to food aid providers, so it's worth contacting them to see how they can help. For  financial help, you could apply for a grant to get you started from places like GrantNav or the Government's Find a Grant service.

Another key place to collect donations is within the local community. This could involve activities such as getting your name out at local festivals and fairs, speaking to local newspapers, and contacting local businesses to see if they'll keep a collection pot for donations. 

Useful resources:

• https://www.trusselltrust.org/
• https://fareshare.org.uk/
• https://www.foodaidnetwork.org.uk/
• https://grantnav.threesixtygiving.org/
• https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/

3.      Finding volunteers

As your food bank grows, you'll need to find volunteers to help keep the operation running smoothly, and there are several ways you can find people in your local community who may be willing to help. Setting up a website, being vocal on social media (particularly in local community groups) and putting up posters and leaflets around your local area are all good places to start spreading the word.

For anyone who does approach you wanting to help, it's important to ensure they can communicate and connect with people effectively and share your vision in wanting to do good for the community. This is vital for any food bank, as customers may come in for advice or simply someone to talk to. All of your volunteers should be aware of local help services, such as financial support or mental health services, and be able to point people in the right direction for further help.

4.      Find a base

In the beginning, you may be fine with just using a garage or a basement as storage space for your supplies, but as your food bank grows, you may need a more permanent space. In this case, you could contact your local town hall or church, for example, and see if they have space to store the supplies you're collecting and even if you could run your collection days from there.

5.      Food distribution

Once you have a base, you'll need to consider how to distribute the food to those who need it. You can run deliveries or have collection days, although you may need more volunteers to help deliver the provisions around the community.

Either way, you'll need to set up a schedule for how often you'll distribute the food and how much you'll be able to supply at a time. Some food banks do collections weekly, monthly, or even multiple times a week.

Simply having a conversation with customers can help you learn how many people they're collecting for and if they have any allergies. This will then help you be better informed about how you can best serve your community.

Food bank vs community pantry

While researching how to set up a food bank, you may have encountered the term ‘community pantry’. Community pantries are very similar to food banks in that they serve the same purpose but operate slightly differently.

Community pantries usually offer food to those who need it in return for a small membership fee, sometimes as little as £3 per week. Members can then come in each week and either receive a food parcel or have a shop-like experience where they can choose which items they would like to take home with them.

Community pantries are a great alternative to food banks for those trying to get back on their feet, and they help fight the stigma that wrongly often comes with attending food banks. Depending on what's needed in your community and what people would like to be a part of, setting up a community pantry may be more beneficial to your local area.

Specialist community insurance through Ripe

Once your food bank is up and running, you may want to consider protecting it, yourself, and your volunteers, with insurance.

If you run a business or organisation in the sports, leisure or community sectors, there are a number of risks you’ll face day to day. However, sporting club, leisure and community insurance through Ripe is designed to safeguard against these risks.

There are many cover options to choose from through Ripe, including Public Liability, Products Liability, and Legal Costs cover for pursuing or defending a claim. 

Click here to learn more about sporting club, leisure and community insurance coming soon to Ripe.