How Orkney Foodbank works

Every day people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. A simple box of food makes a big difference, with foodbanks helping prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown and mental health problems.

Food is donated

All food and other items given out by Orkney Foodbank is donated. Often this is from schools, churches, businesses, individuals, or through supermarket collections at our local Tesco store which help us engage with the public. Foodbank volunteers offer shoppers a “foodbank shopping list” and ask them to buy an extra item with their shop. Tesco have also been very generous in allowing the Foodbank to have a permanent collection point in their foyer where customers can leave donations at any time. The Co-Ops in Stromness, Dounby and at the Picky Store in Kirkwall also have permanent collection points which are very welcome. These are all a very important source of donations for our Foodbank.

Food is sorted and stored

Our volunteers sort the donations to check that it is in date and pack it into boxes ready to be given to people in need following a pre-prepared picklist to make sure each person receives a recognised balanced parcel.

Professionals identify people in need

Orkney Foodbank works with a wide range of professionals such as GP practices, health visitors, social workers as well as a wide range of third sector orgainsations such as Citizens Advice, THAW Orkney, Advocacy Orkney, Womens Aid. These agencies identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher which is then presented to the Foodbank.

Clients receive food

Due to COVID -19 vouchers re currently emailed to the foodbank email address where it is passed to the volunteers who prepare three days’ emergency food. We then arrange for emergency food to be delivered to clients irrespective of whether they live on Mainland Orkney or one of the outer islands.

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