About
How our foodbank works
Providing emergency food to people in crisis.
There is no single reason for someone to need a foodbank, but the one thing they is have in common is that receiving food support can make a big difference. This page will give you an idea of how our foodbank works.
Food is donated
Local schools, churches, businesses and individuals donate non-perishable, in-date food to Blackburn Foodbank. Large collections often take place as part of Harvest, Christmas and Eid.
Food is sorted and stored
Our warehouse manager, Neil, supervises a team of volunteers who sort food donations to check that it’s in date. The food is then distributed to our pantries or stored in the warehouse ready to be packed into food parcels.
Professionals identify people in need
Blackburn Foodbank has over 250 referral partners who identify people in crisis. These professionals include doctors, social workers, housing providers and police. These agencies then refer the identified person/ family to the foodbank for support.
Clients receive food and other support
Once a referral has been received, our client services manager, Tracey, and a team of client services volunteers process vouchers and our incredible team of telephone assessors contact the client to find out more about their situation and organise a time to collect a food parcel. We ask a number of questions to see if we can support you in the following ways:
- Debt/ benefits advice
- Employment support
- Mental health support
- Gas & electric support
We realise that food is never the problem, it is usually the result of something deeper.