FILL A BOX FOR PEOPLE IN CRISIS THIS rAMADAN

Households are being urged to support people in crisis this Ramadan by donating food and toiletries to Hackney Foodbank.

From February 17th, residents are being asked to take part in Give in Ramadan and donate one item per day or £1 per day for 30 days. The idea is to fill a box with food and bring it to the food bank’s warehouse at the end of Lent.

Pat Fitzsimons, CEO of Hackney Foodbank, said: “This winter has been particularly tough here as thousands of residents struggle to afford even the basics.  We run six food distribution centres and a mobile food bank and provide emergency food for around 680 people each week.  Our resources are being stretched to the limits.”

Hackney has the second highest level of deprivation in children and older people in England - 64% of children and 55% of older people here live in income deprived homes.   In 2025, the food bank distributed the equivalent of 311,985 emergency meals (an 18% increase on the year before).

Among the items requested for Give in Ramadan are baked beans, tinned tomatoes, cereal, tinned custard, tinned vegetables, tinned fruit and shampoo.

Donations should be dropped to Hackney Foodbank at the Wally Foster Community Centre, Homerton Road, Hackney, E9 5QB, or visit www.hackney.foodbank.org.uk/donate

To donate £1 a day for 340 days, visit: https://donorbox.org/give-in-ramadan