donate

your donations make a difference in your community

Thank you for considering donating to Hackney Foodbank! We rely on support from the wider community to operate the food bank.

 

In 2023:

  • 211,256 kG

    of food distributed

  • 80

    volunteers

  • 33,377

    people supported

Generous contributions from our supporters allowed Hackney Foodbank to distribute 211,256kg of food and essentials to 33,377 people whilst facilitating connections to relevant support including financial management, debt and housing advice, and mental health organisations.

how can you help?

donate food

On average, 90% of the food we distribute comes from public donations, so we’re really grateful for all contributions.

You can donate food online via this link or in person, by dropping off items from our shopping list at any of the locations listed below. Please check our ‘Most needed’ items list before you start your collection to help us ensure we have everything we need to support people experiencing hunger, when it is needed.

Sometimes we send surplus items to other food banks nearby if they are experiencing shortages.

If you’re happy to label your donation with your name and email address, we would love to say thank you and stay in touch!

how to donate food

If your donation is up to four boxes, you can drop off items to our warehouse Monday-Friday, 09.30-14.30 without booking. Please note we have recently relocated our warehouse from Hoxton to Homerton.

If your donation is larger than four boxes, or if you would like to arrange a supermarket delivery to our warehouse, please book a drop-off slot with the calendar below.

If you would like to set up a collection point, for example at your school, place of worship, community group or place of work, or if you represent a supermarket that would like to set up a collection point, please contact Jenna Fansa, Head of Communications and Fundraising, at jenna@hackneyfoodbank.org

Alternatively, to donate food online, check out our online store - your donations will be delivered direct to us.

our homerton warehouse

  • 0207 254 2464

  • Wally Foster Community Centre, Homerton Road, E9 5QB

    Open: Mon-Fri 8.30-2.30pm

Please note, our warehouse will be closed on Bank Holiday Mondays. If you’re unsure, please check before visiting.

There is limited parking, which you can use free of charge for dropping off donations (subject to availability).

Directions via Google Maps

Once you’ve collected donations, book in a donation slot to drop the items over to our warehouse with 3 simple steps:

  1. Choose a date and time via the calendar through Calendly.

  2. Once confirmed, fill in your name, email and any information and click “schedule event”.

  3. You will be sent a calendar invitation confirming your donation booking slot and the warehouse team will be notified of your booking slot.

    If for any reason you need to cancel or re-arrange your booking slot, please do so via the link in your calendar invitation.

what should i donate?

most needed items:

(Last Updated 04/11/24)

  1. Teabags

  2. Baby wipes

  3. Tinned meat

  4. Tinned fish

  5. Biscuits

parcel items

    • Baked beans or tinned spaghetti

    • Biscuits

    • Breakfast cereal

    • Clothes washing tablets

    • Coffee, Teabags, herbal tea

    • Curry sauce or pasta sauce

    • Jam, honey or chocolate spread

    • Long Life Juice

    • Rice or pasta

    • Snacks

    • Sugar

    • Tinned beans, pulses or lentils

    • Tinned fish

    • Tinned fruit

    • Tinned meat

    • Tinned rice pudding or custard

    • Tinned soup

    • Tinned vegetables

    • Toilet roll

    • UHT Milk

    • Washing-up liquid

    • Deodorant

    • Disposable razors

    • Hand soap

    • Sanitary pads

    • Shampoo & conditioner

    • Shower gel

    • Toothbrushes

    • Toothpaste

    • Nappies (sizes 4,5 & 6)

    • Baby wipes

    • Baby food (jars)

    • Cat food

    • Dog food

We do not accept:

  • Infant formula (in line with the guidance issued by UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative (May 2019)

  • Clothing

  • Out of date items

  • Refrigerated items

  • Fresh food items

If you have any questions about making a food donation, please contact Daniel, Warehouse Manager at daniel@hackneyfoodbank.org.

Donation drop off points

  • Clissold Leisure Centre

    63 Clissold Rd, London, N16 9EX
    Open: Mon - Fri 6am - 10pm
    Sat - Sun 7am - 6pm

  • Co-operative - Gainsborough Studios

    136 New N Rd, London N1 6SU
    Open: Mon - Thurs 7am - 10pm
    Fri - Sun 7am - 11pm

  • Co-operative Shoreditch

    185 Old Street, London, EC1V 9NP
    Open: Mon - Sat 6am - 11pm
    Sun 11am - 5pm

  • Friends of Ours

    61 Pitfield St, London, N1 6BU
    Open: Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm
    Sat - Sun 9am - 5pm

  • Location Location

    18 Stoke Newington Church St, London, N16 0LU
    Open: Mon - Thurs 9am - 6.30pm
    Fri 9am - 6pm
    Sat 10am - 4.30pm
    Sun Closed

  • London Fields Lido

    London Fields West Side, London, E8 3EU
    Open: Mon - Sun 6am - 9pm



  • Sainsbury’s

    Dalston Cross Shopping Centre, London, E8 2LX
    Open: Mon - Sat 8am - 10pm
    Sun 11am - 5pm

  • Tesco Extra

    Morning Lane, London, E9 6ND
    Open: Mon - Sat 6am - 10pm
    Sun 11am - 5pm


  • Tesco Metro

    Well Street, London, E9 6QU
    Open: Mon - Sat 6am - 11pm
    Sun 10am - 4pm


  • The Birdcage

    80 Columbia Rd, London, E2 7QB
    Open: Mon - Tues 12pm - 11pm
    Wed - Thurs 12pm - 12pm
    Sat 12pm - 2am
    Sun 9am - 10.30pm

  • The Grocery

    52-56 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8DP
    Open: Mon - Sat 7.30am - 10.30pm
    Sun 9am - 10.30pm



  • Waitrose & Partners Barbican

    Cherry Tree Walk Centre, Whitecross St, London, EC1Y 8NX
    Open: Mon - Fri 8.30am -8pm
    Sat 8.30am - 7pm
    Sun 10am - 4pm

  • West Reservoir Water Sports Centre

    Green Lanes, Woodberry Down, London, N4 2HA
    Open: Mon - Thurs 9am - 6.30pm
    Fri 9am - 6pm,
    Sat 10am - 4.30pm
    Sun Closed

donate money

On average, 80% of the money we receive to fund our services comes from individual donors, and we’re really grateful for all contributions.

Knowing what money we are expecting to come in each month helps us to manage the organisation effectively, and think about the best ways to offer our services longer-term.

If you are interested and able to, you can set up regular giving by Direct Debit. You can also make one-off donations online.

If you’re making a donation on behalf of a company or business please email Jenna, Head of Communications and Fundraising at jenna@hackneyfoodbank.org

If you prefer, cheques are payable to ‘The Hackney Foodbank’. Please post or deliver your cheque to:

Hackney Foodbank, Wally Foster Community Centre, Homerton Road, London, E9 5QB

If you would like to make a bank transfer, please email Jenna, Head of Communications and Fundraising at jenna@hackneyfoodbank.org for the details.

gift aid

If you are a UK taxpayer, you can Gift Aid your donation by completing the form below and sending it to us at info@hackneyfoodbank.org.

This means that Hackney Foodbank will receive an extra 25p for every £1 you give, at no extra cost to you.

Please note that if you pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all your donations – to Hackney Foodbank and other charities - in that tax year, it is your responsibility to pay any difference.

If you are interested in leaving a legacy donation, please contact us to find out more.

fundraise for us

From bake sales to sponsored activities and sporting challenges, there are so many ways you can fundraise for Hackney Foodbank!

Bring your friends, family members, and colleagues into your supporter journey and raise awareness whilst helping to ensure we can continue relieving immediate hunger through providing food, and addressing the root causes and wider effects of poverty in people’s lives through connections to relevant local organisations.

If you’re looking for inspiration, check out some of the great ideas suggested by the Trussell Trust.

There are some things to consider when fundraising - take a look at The Trussell Trust’s tips on ‘Keeping it safe and legal’ here.

You can also take a look at the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice here.

to send the funds you have raised you can:

Bank Transfer

Make a direct bank transfer (email Sara our Head of Communications and Fundraising on sara@hackneyfoodbank.org for transfer details)

Cheque

Send a cheque, made payable to The Hackney Foodbank, to: Hackney Foodbank, Florence Bennett Centre, Cherbury Street, London, N1 6TL

PayPal

Make a payment via PayPal.

how we use your donations

Unrestricted donations may contribute to any costs we need to cover - this could include food items for distribution, staff or venue costs (such as for our warehouse), or transport (such as our vans for moving food items between our locations).

You can see our most recent accounts on the Charities Commission website here.

We’re here to help, so if you have an idea, or would like more information, please get in touch with below.