Food banks: More than a handout

Here in Sheffield, there are many different types of community food providers: food banks, food pantries, social eating spaces and co-ops do far more than hand out emergency parcels, they can nourish and unite. They are operated on the strength of volunteers, many of whom have used the services themselves. While we should not need food banks in 21st-century Britain, without them, the current situation would be even worse.

Food banks were initially designed for short-term emergencies, but in the last decade, they’ve become part of everyday survival for too many. The cost-of-living crisis, benefit delays, low wages, and rising rents have pushed more people to the brink. Since the pandemic, usage has spiked again, showing that even a single unexpected event, a job loss, a boiler breakdown, a medical bill, can tip a household into food insecurity.

It’s truly disheartening that in 2025, many people are turning to food banks more often than we might realise. The Trussell Trust reports that over 3.1 million emergency food parcels were handed out in the UK from April 2023 to March 2024, marking the highest number we've seen. In our own Sheffield, countless individuals depend on weekly food assistance, whether it's through a food bank, pantry, or a lovely pay-what-you-can community café.

We want to be clear: no one should feel shame for needing food support. Using a food bank doesn’t mean you’ve failed; it means the system has. Behind every parcel is someone trying to stay afloat: parents juggling childcare and zero-hours contracts, older people choosing between heating and eating, students working two jobs while studying, or someone who just had a run of bad luck. A common cause we see is the excessive wait for Universal Credit to be approved and paid. On average, it takes 5 weeks, so many have to turn to food banks during this time.

Food poverty can happen to anyone. Here in Sheffield, there are over 100 organisations offering some sort of food assistance throughout the city.

Take Burngreave Food Bank, part of the Trussell Trust network that provides emergency food to those in crisis from Burngreave and Darnall. Each week, around 120 carefully prepared food parcels are distributed with compassion.

Food Matters Stocksbridge also runs a Community Outlet offering affordable surplus supermarket food, reducing waste and increasing access to good food.

Organisations like Parson Cross Community Pantry, FoodCycle, St Vincent’s de Paul Society , and S12 Community Pantry provide free or low-cost meals, groceries, household goods, good company, and friendly chats.

The S2 Food Poverty Network coordinates support and long-term planning. These are just a few of our outstanding ShefFood partners working daily to build a more just and connected food system.

Cooperation Town supports grassroots food co-ops across the city. Food cooperatives are run and organised by their members, accessing food through surplus apps and wholesale buying, making them another alternative to traditional community food provision.

But the people who run Sheffield’s food banks have responded by evolving. They’re not just handing out food; many are also listening, advocating, supporting mental health, offering budgeting advice, providing cooking classes, and signposting to other services. In short, they’re doing the work of a social safety net that’s been stretched too thin.

These services are community-led and community-powered. Many volunteers were once food bank users themselves. They know what it’s like and they want to give back.

That’s why many Sheffield food projects now offer alternatives that are open to all, no questions asked. Food pantries like those run by S12, Parson Cross, and Vinnie’s Value Food Pantry operate on a membership model, where people can choose what they need and contribute what they can afford. Others offer cooked meals in social spaces where no one is turned away.

This shift matters. It turns shame into solidarity, isolation into inclusion, and crisis into community care. If you’re reading this and wondering whether food support is for you, the answer is yes. It doesn’t matter who you are, accessing food support helps everyone, whether that’s by shopping at low-cost shops such as Meersbrook Community Pantry or paying what you can at eateries like the Food Works cafes in Sharrow and Upperthorpe.

Visit our Community Food Provision page on the ShefFood website. There, you’ll find a map of food banks, pantries, community kitchens, and low-cost food outlets across Sheffield.

If you’ve never used a food bank, but you’ve read this far, thank you. Understanding is the first step. But there’s more you can do. You can donate food or money to your local food bank. Better yet, volunteer your time. Many organisations are short on hands, and even a few hours a week can make a huge difference. You can also support food justice by advocating for policy change, shopping at social enterprises, and reducing food waste at home.

At ShefFood, we’re proud to work alongside Sheffield’s food banks and community organisations as part of our mission to build a more sustainable, fair and resilient food system for everyone. Because food is more than fuel. It’s connection. It’s care. And it should never be out of reach for anyone.

Visit sheffood.org.uk for more information or contact the team at [email protected].