Food cupboard

Published Date

THE FOOD CUPBOARD MINISTRY AT SMB

“Providing practical help for people in need”

In the early 90s the Church family realised that there was a need for emergency short-term assistance for families who found themselves in acute distress and for whom the State benefit system could offer no immediate help. Their response was to organise a "Food Cupboard".

Basic food lists and suggested menus have been evolved to create two food packs: one which will feed a family of four for one week and one for a small family, eg a single mother and baby (with nappies and baby milk as required). All physical help is given freely.

We accept gifts of non-perishable food (preferably from our basic food list below): perishable goods to supplement each pack are purchased as required using Church funds, and very gratefully received monetary donations which can be gift aided.

Cereal	Sugar	Long life milk	Jam
Tea bags	Dry pasta	Squash	Evaporated milk
Tinned fruit	Tinned meat	Jelly	Tinned fish
Tinned soup	Pasta sauce	Tinned savoury mince	Tinned potatoes
Biscuits	Drinking chocolate	Long grain rice	Tinned rice pudding
Tinned stewing steak	Instant whip	Tinned vegetables	Baked beans

All requests for food parcels are received from Children's Social Services. It is safe to say that over the years the Food Cupboard has become the prime unbiased source upon which these professional people call for emergency short-term support for families in need.

The Food Cupboard also supports the Women's Refuge (MK Act). This organisation provides a safe haven and shelter for women and their children who have suffered physical, mental and sexual abuse.

In 2012 we delivered 268 food parcels, providing practical help to 325 adults and 504 children, 112 being babies who were given additional support including nappies and baby food when needed. In addition to this, at Christmas, 50 hampers were delivered including at least 4 presents per person, many getting 5. The hampers helped 132 children and 81 adults to celebrate Christmas. A further 38 children and their mothers from the women's refuge received 2 presents each. This means that we wrapped over 1000 presents!

Some food-giving agencies will only work within certain land boundaries or with certain kinds of problems - and during office hours. We cover the area served by Milton Keynes Social Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year – hunger does not keep office hours.

Because financial resources are not limitless, the Food Cupboard restricts its giving to families with children and does so regardless of race, colour or creed – hunger is universal.

At Easter time we like to include chocolate Easter eggs for the children of the family with the food parcels.

Many schools in Milton Keynes very generously donate the proceeds of their Harvest Festival to the Food Cupboard.