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Coronavirus / COVID-19 foodbank updates – opening times, what we need, how you can help

24th March 2020

The current Coronavirus outbreak is causing understandable concern for our Foodbank clients, volunteers and supporters alike.  We’re working hard to stay in line at all times with operational guidance from authorities in the governmental, health and regulatory areas.

Foodbank Distribution Centre

Due to the latest Government guidance and the impact of the Coronavirus epidemic on our operation, we are having to review how we operate. We have already initiated changes to control social distancing at our distribution centres. We may in future have to change times, locations and/or require clients to pre-book an appointment with us.

If you are a client, please regularly check on this Coronavirus update page for the latest operations update, before attending any future Foodbank distribution sessions.

How, where & what to donate?

We’re still accepting donations, including online donations – and the major online retailers will all deliver donations at your request to our warehouse in Harpenden.

Foodbank donation points are available behind the checkouts in all the main supermarkets in Harpenden and St Albans as well as a number of other locations all of which are shown on the Donate Food page of our website.

Massive increase in demand

In the last week the St Albans & District Foodbank has, unsurprisingly, experienced the greatest surge in demand for help in our 6 years of existence.

This increase will mean that the stocks we hold will deplete rapidly, unless we can match that with more donations; and without food to distribute, we will be unable to help. It is therefore crucial that people continue to support us as generously as possible please, in this time of crisis.

We need (more) donations to cope

We urgently need supplies of UHT Milk, and Long-life Fruit Juice but in addition would like tinned soups, small boxes of tea, jams/spreads, Tinned Potatoes/Instant Mash but please see the following link to our most needed items list:

https://stalbansdistrict.foodbank.org.uk/give-…/donate-food/

We have held emergency food parcel packing sessions twice in the last 4 days in addition to our normal work. Everyone worked really hard to pack the additional 70+ boxes (some of those appear in the photo) ready for this week.

Please keep supporting us so we can help those in crisis during this time of even greater need

This link takes you to a list of all our locations where you can bring or send donations; and what we need most right now.

St Albans & District Foodbank is currently fully operational, but we are urgently looking into how to adapt our services in the weeks and months ahead.

Please keep an eye on this page, which we will be updating as the circumstances develop.

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