Bow Foodbank Double Donation Drive

Bow Foodbank was started by local residents to ensure none of their neighbours go without food. With the current cost of living crisis, the need for our services is higher than ever, and we are supporting more and more individuals and families across Tower Hamlets and the surrounding areas. As one of the largest independent food banks in the UK, we depend on our 400 + local volunteers to help us distribute food and fundraise to make sure our shelves are full every week.  

To help our guests experience more food security in the long term we are now training our volunteers to support them by referring them to longer-term support. The funds we raise from this campaign will allow us to train volunteers to move our guests away from food insecurity as well as continue to offer food aid to all those who need it locally in times of crisis.  

We are proud that Bow Foodbank is a community solution to the problem of food insecurity, Whether you give your time, expertise or money, in joining with Bow Foodbank you are joining a team of people who care deeply about their neighbours and community.

When did Bow Food Bank Start?

Bow Foodbank was established in 2014 to respond to the need for emergency food supplies for people in Tower Hamlets. 

The charity was founded by a group of local people, including those from Bow Church, Our Lady & St. Catherine of Siena Church in Bow and from the local Synagogue and Gurdwara. Still today representatives from these groups are involved as trustees

Originally started in Bow Church, during the pandemic the demand for food grew to such an extent that the charity needed to find new premises. It moved to the Bromley-by-Bow Centre as most of the BBBC’s activities had ceased during the COVID crisis

In 2019, we also opened the Bethnal Green Foodbank at St. Matthews church, but soon had to move to larger premises and were fortunate to be given use of Raine’s Foundation School as the school had closed to pupils. Since September 2023, the Foodbank has operated out of Raines Foundation School only while we secure a new Bow location.

Who does Bow Food Bank Help?

Bow Foodbank is not a faith-based charity and people who live in Tower Hamlets from any or no faith can visit the foodbank.

What about people who live outside of Tower Hamlets?

The primary focus of Bow Foodbank is to provide food to our neighbours in Tower Hamlets in times of crisis. Where possible we provide a limited number of emergency food parcels to guests from outside of the borough, this allows some breathing space and support to find alternative solutions.

How many people in crisis have Bow Foodbank supported with food in 2023?

In the last 12 months, Bow Foodbank has distributed over 37,000 parcels of food to over 6,000 guests. Of these, over 24,000 included additional food for children and 9.6% were of pensionable age, to a total value of over £1m.

Over 4,000 of these guests were new to the foodbank this year, around 1,000 more than the previous year. 

How many of these were Children?

In the last year, Bow Foodbank has distributed over 24,000 parcels of food for children in times of crisis

What will Bow Food Bank do with the money?

Bow Food Bank is working to address the underlying causes of food insecurity in Tower Hamlets. To create more resilience in our community and support our guests to become more self-sufficient in the long term. 

We will train more of our dedicated team of volunteers to help guests access longer-term support and find sustainable solutions to financial, health and wellbeing challenges.

How will Bow Food Bank provide longer-term support for the community?

Bow Foodbank works with local community partners to ensure all our guests have access to the most appropriate services to help them thrive and live independently. In 2023 we made over 700 referrals to guests for sustainable support closer to home, this funding will help us continue this support into 2024 and ensure fair access for our neighbours in Tower Hamlets can continue.

How many people will Bow Food Bank Help with the Money?

• If Bow Foodbank achieves the foundation goal we will be able to train more volunteers to support families in Tower Hamlets to find long-term solutions to financial crisis. This will impact thousands of families locally.

• If we achieve our stretch goal we will be able to strengthen our own resilience as an organisation to provide emergency food for guests in crisis as the cost of living continues to rise.    

What is Bow Food Bank doing to help people with Food Security now?

Bow Foodbank provides compassionate and considerate support for all guests at the point of registration and throughout their time with us. Our dedicated volunteers assist with access to sources of funding, education and other resources as appropriate.

What will be different with how you help people with food security when you have the extra funding?

If Bow Foodbank achieves the stretch target we will be able to support more guests to feel more resilient and enjoy more independence through access to ongoing support and services through challenging times. Our ultimate goal is to not need to exist any more!

What makes how Bow Food Bank supports their neighbours different to other Foodbanks?

Bow Foodbank is an independent foodbank supported by a close community of friends and neighbours who are dedicated to supporting guests to get secure access to food long-term. All our resources are obtained through our highly valued supporters who are dedicated to easing the discomfort of neighbours experiencing challenging times.