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get help
Anyone can reach crisis point.
We are here to help.
Foodbanks around the country provide emergency food during crisis situations such as redundancy, benefit delays or receiving an unexpected bill.
Crisis situations can occur for lots of different reasons and so we work closely with frontline professionals to identify individuals in need of help by using a voucher referral system.
In order to get an emergency food parcel, you will need to be issued a food voucher from one of our referral agency partners. Statutory agencies such as your GP, housing association or Citizens Advice can assess you for a food voucher and provide signposting for help towards your crisis.
free foodbank referral helpline
If you are in financial crisis, you can get free and confidential advice from a trained Citizens Advice adviser by calling 08082082138 (open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm).
Over the phone, they can help address your crises and provide support to maximise your income, help you navigate the benefits system, and identify any additional grants you could be entitled to. If needed, they are able to issue you with a voucher so you can get an emergency food parcel from the Foodbank.
foodbank support
You can also contact the Foodbank so that we can point you in the direction of referral agencies who issue Foodbank vouchers.
Get in touch with us
You can get in contact with us via telephone or email
to find out which referral agency is most appropriate for your crisis. To receive a food voucher, you must engage with a referral agency and the support they offer.
visit a referral agency
Advice workers at our partner referral agencies will discuss your circumstances and crisis situation with you and may issue you a Foodbank voucher.
bring the voucher to us
Our Foodbanks offer a safe environment, where trained volunteers will provide a listening ear whilst your food parcel is prepared.
What is in a food parcel?
A parcel consists of nutritionally balanced, non-perishable tinned and dried foods, which provide at least three days of healthy, balanced meals for individuals and families.
financial inclusion project (Citizens advice)
As part of our mission to provide pathways to resolving crises in addition to emergency food parcels, we have a Financial Inclusion project happening in all centres once a week available to all Foodbank clients. A trained Citizens Advice worker is able to provide face-to-face advice with two primary focus areas:
- Income maximisation (ensuring that people are accessing all of the income they are entitled to)
- Debt (ensuring that debts are under control, with any repayments leaving people with enough money to meet their household's wider needs.)
- Other issues can also be dealt with so please ask the adviser or a centre volunteer if you think you might benefit from this service.
The Trussell Trust have supported North Lakes Foodbank with a FI grant to enhance a financial inclusion approach which tackles the root causes of crisis when people come to the Foodbank. This grant will enable North Lakes Foodbank to improve the support available to people in crisis in their communities, to help facilitate an end to the need for a food bank.
To ensure that this funding is effectively targeted at those most in need we have partnered with Citizens Advice Allerdale who will support people in crisis towards financial stability of either or both of:
- People in receipt of emergency food
- People seeking access to emergency food or identified as facing destitution