Why you should have heard about #Foodbankadvent

Heard of #foodbankadvent yet? No? Well, listen up.

This Christmas, Mouthy Money is taking part in the reverse advent calendar challenge. Instead of buying a calendar to countdown the days in chocolate until 25th December, we’ll be putting a new food or toiletry item into a box to give to our local food bank.

This campaign aims to go a little way into helping some of the UK’s poorest. Families
on low income typically suffer the most around Christmas, with higher heating bills
and children on school holidays having to make do without free school meals.

With families also applying for universal credit, the Government’s recently reformed
benefits package, people could be waiting up to six weeks for help.

That’s why we have joined the UK Money Bloggers, a group of likeminded people all
keen on helping everyone make savvier decisions when it comes to saving and
spending, who have been working hard to encourage people to raid their cupboards
this Christmas.

Foodbanks need our support

Foodbanks across the UK work hardest at this time of year, with many relying on the
donations of the public to help them plug this painful poverty gap. Trussell Trust, the
UK’s largest provider of foodbanks, has reported a 30% rise in requests for food
parcels in areas that have fully implemented universal credit.

This is why, at Mouthy Money, we’re into day 12 of the reverse advent calendar challenge, because many families will need help before December 25th.

If you’d like to get involved, you can find your local Trussell Trust food bank on this
map. Your local council or Citizens Advice may have details of other food banks in
your area.

Not sure about what should go in a food bank box? Have a read of this post for some
ideas. Admittedly, you’ll see that we’ve included two cans of lager in our box, but
before the month is out it will be jampacked with longlife and useful tinned or dried
food.

Want to take part?

If you or your family fancy doing the reverse advent calendar challenge this year,
why not put a photo of it on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and share with the
hashtag #foodbankadvent.