Waterford Food Bank

Delivering food to people in need in Waterford

What is Food Bank?

Waterford Food Bank was established in 2017 to support individuals and families experiencing food poverty across Waterford City.

Each week, we provide up to 250 families with food parcels containing essential cupboard items: fresh meat, dairy products, bread, potatoes and vegetables. All food is provided completely free of charge through approved referral organisations.

We also support local breakfast clubs, helping children to begin their day nourished, settled and ready to learn.

Food poverty can affect anyone. Increasingly, we are supporting working and dual-income families whose earnings no longer cover housing, energy, food and other essential costs.

Everyone who receives support from Waterford Food Bank is treated with compassion and without judgement. Protecting people’s privacy, dignity and confidentiality is central to everything we do.

Our work is made possible by our dedicated volunteers, staff and the extraordinary generosity of local businesses, organisations and the people of Waterford. We do not receive any core funding for the operation of Waterford Food Bank.

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How Do I Get Food Assistance?

Waterford Food Bank provides food assistance through approved referral organisations across Waterford city and county. These include services such as St.Vincent de Paul, MABS (Money Advice & Budgeting Service) and other local support organisations.

If you need food assistance, but are not currently connected with a referral organisation please contact Waterford Food Bank. We will listen to your circumstances and help direct you to an appropriate local service that can make a referral.

Once a referral is received, a food parcel will be prepared based on the number of adults and children in your household. Arrangements will then be made for the parcel to be delivered.

Asking for help can be difficult. Every reequest is treated with compassion, dignity and strict confidentiality and food assistance is always provided completely free of charge.

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What we do:

We operate 3 thriving breakfast clubs in DEIS schools, ensuring that over 210 children start their day with a healthy and energizing meal. Since the breakfast clubs started, attendance and attention in class has improved hugely. The clubs are open to all children and engagement is focused on the social aspect and enjoyable for all the children.

Our annual appeal invites the community to donate non-perishable food items and Christmas treats, which are used to create 1000 festive hampers for families in need during the holiday season. Schools, businesses and industry all participate in food drives and we collect the food on an allocated day in buses!

We collect plastic bottles and cans from local businesses, transforming them into resources to purchase fresh food for our parcels. Waterford Chamber of Commerce have supported us in this initiative with publicity and promoting it amongst its members.

Waterford Food Bank in collaboration with SLL SETU Waterford supplies food items to the onsite food pantry to support students suffering food insecurity.

How Can I Get Involved?

There are several practical ways to support Waterford Food Bank:

Make a financial donation: Financial contributions help us to purchase essential items when stocks are low, and provide fresh food for our weekly parcels.
Donate food: Non-perishable food is always our greatest need. Items such as tinned foods, pasta, rice, cereals, tea, coffee and other cupboard essentials are particularly useful.
Support our appeals: Schools, businesses and community groups can take part in food collections, including our annual Fill a Bus appeal. Local companies also provide valuable volunteer support during our Christmas packing operation.
Volunteer as a driver: We regularly need volunteer drivers to help with collections and deliveries. Drivers must hold a full, clean driving licence. We provide the van and the fuel.

To enquire about supporting Waterford Food Bank please get in touch

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How is Waterford Food Bank funded?

Waterford Food Bank receives no core or guaranteed funding. We rely on food and financial donations, community fundraising, local business support and initiatives such as our annual Fill a Bus appeal and the Return Bottle Scheme. The Food Bank is staffed with support from participants on Tús and CE work placement schemes.

From time to time, we apply for competitive community grants and awards. Thee require a formal application, and funding is only received when an application is successful. It is not automatic, guaranteed or available to us every year.

The continued operation of Waterford Food Bank depends on the generosity of the people, schools, community groups and businesses of Waterford. Their support enables us to purchase essential food, respond when stocks are low and continue providing free food assistance to local families every week.

Every donation received is used to support the work of Waterford Food Bank with the financial oversight of Buíon Phort Láirge.

Donate:

We accept donations individual and corporate donations. These donations are hugely important for Waterford Food Bank to be able to continue its service. Please click 'Donate Now' or contact us.

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