How to Donate Food

Food donations are a vital way to support the food aid network. Your contributions can help provide emergency food parcels and hot meals to support individuals and families in need. Here are several ways to donate food:

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Direct to Food Banks

You can bring food directly to any food bank in Leeds. Each food bank has specific opening hours for receiving donations. See the full list on our Food Banks page.

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Supermarket Collection Points

Many supermarkets in Leeds have food donation collection points where you can purchase extra items while shopping and place them in these bins. Participating supermarkets include Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons and Waitrose.

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Organise a Donation Drive

You can organise a donation drive at your workplace, school, place of worship or community group. We can provide support and collection arrangements. Contact us to learn more.

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Large Donations

If you're a business or have large quantities of food to donate, we can arrange collection. Learn more about FareShare and Rethink Food, organisations that specialise in handling large donations.

Most Needed Food Items

We welcome all non-perishable food items, but these are particularly needed at present:

Staples

  • Cereal
  • Pasta
  • Rice
  • Instant noodles
  • Tinned vegetables

Protein Sources

  • Tinned fish (tuna, sardines, etc.)
  • Tinned meat
  • Tinned beans
  • Nut butters
  • Dried beans, lentils and peas

Other Food Items

  • Tinned soup
  • Tinned fruit
  • Jam and honey
  • Biscuits
  • Tea and coffee

Non-Food Items

  • Shampoo and shower gel
  • Toothpaste and toothbrushes
  • Feminine hygiene products
  • Nappies and baby wipes
  • Cleaning supplies

Donation Tips

Please ensure all donated food is within its use-by date, unopened and undamaged. We cannot accept expired or homemade food items.

Financial Donations

Financial donations give us the flexibility to respond to changing needs, purchase specially required items and support our operational costs. You can donate funds in the following ways:

Online Donation

Make a one-off or regular donation through our secure online platform:

Donate Online

Bank Transfer

You can transfer funds directly to our bank account:

Account Name: Leeds Food Aid Network

Bank: Example Bank

Sort Code: 12-34-56

Account Number: 12345678

Reference: Please include "Donation" in the reference field

Cheque Donation

You can post a cheque to our office:

Leeds Food Aid Network
Example Street
Leeds, LS1 1AB

Please make cheques payable to "Leeds Food Aid Network" and include your contact details with your letter.

Volunteering

In addition to food and financial donations, you can donate your time and skills. We have various volunteering opportunities including:

  • Helping sort and distribute food at food banks or pantries
  • Participating in food collection drives
  • Assisting with deliveries and logistics
  • Providing administrative or technical support
  • Helping with street outreach services for homeless people

Learn more about volunteering opportunities or contact us to discuss how you can get involved.

Corporate Partnerships

If you're a business or organisation, we welcome partnerships to tackle food insecurity together. Partnership options include:

Food Donations

Donate surplus or near-expiry food to reduce waste while supporting the community. Particularly suitable for food producers, retailers and caterers.

Employee Volunteering

Organise employee volunteering days to support local food aid projects. We can arrange team activities and experiences.

Sponsorship & Matched Giving

Provide financial support or match employee donations to increase your community impact.

Skills Sharing

Share your organisation's expertise in areas like logistics, marketing, IT or financial support.

To discuss corporate partnership opportunities, please contact us to arrange a meeting.