Your vital donations
Local businesses and high street names have donated surplus food to us, for which we are truly grateful. Local households have also been busy in their kitchens and getting friends and family to help out. Listed below are some donations which have gone down at treat at recent events - kindly supplied by the public and local organisations!
But it's not just food - people living on the streets need warm clothing and toiletries. Personal hygiene and self-confidence are essential if a person is even to begin thinking about getting their life back on track.
donations which have gone down at treat at recent events:
- 40 jacket potatoes with beans, cheese and chicken curry
- 20 hot pasties
- 60+ coffees/teas/hot chocolates
- 50+ packed lunches
- 50+ biscuits and snack bars
- Trainers, sleeping bags, mix of men's and women's clothing
- Toiletries, wipes, tissues, toothpaste, brushes, deodorant and sanitary products.
Food & Drink Supplies
There are lots of different foods which can be supplied. During our outreach events, we like to serve hearty stews and soups because hot meals are so much more satisfying to those who live on the streets. The ability to serve hot meals outside in a public place obviously involves more planning and practical issues, but through good teamwork it's all doable and well worth the effort!
Sandwiches, salads and packed lunches are less demanding because they don't need to be served hot. And of course, other "longlife" foodstuffs like crisps, snack bars, flapjacks, energy bars and biscuits are the easiest - they can be simply handed out and are great because they can provide sustenance to our friends after we have packed up and gone home.
Similarly with drinks; serving hot drinks like tea, coffee, Horlicks and drinking chocolate is best, and then supplies of cold drinks and juices can be taken away by our friends.
Help in the process of serving hot meals and hot drinks
- Soups, stews, curries, pies, pasties, baked potatoes, spaghetti bolognese, chilli con carne - these hot dishes are perfect!
- These will often be kindly provided by local food businesses which already have their own catering capability to supply hot food and drinks just in time.
- Homemade meals are also kindly provided by local households who are good at cooking large quantities (e.g. scouse) and dishing them into sealed foil take-away containers and bringing them just in time so that they are nice and hot and ready to serve.
- Good timing, good teamwork and extra pairs of helping hands ensures our friends get their hot hearty meals and drinks.
- As well as donations of actual hot food and drink - other supplies and equipment can be very useful (food containers, cups, plastic cutlery, mobile catering equipment, thermos/insulating products, etc).
- If you can offer any donations, helping hands or practical suggestions for our hot food and drink operations - we would love to hear from you.
Freshly made cold food and packed lunches
- Sandwiches, wraps, pasta salads, rice salads, potato salads and meals which are delicious cold also go down a treat
- These will often be kindly provided by local food businesses
- Homemade sandwiches, salads and packed lunches are also kindly provided by local households who are good at making large quantities and organising them into containers/bags ready to hand out.
Other cold food, snacks and drinks
- Chocolate bars, energy bars, snacks and biscuits can simply be handed out
- Same with drinks and juices (e.g. cans of fizzy drinks)
- We always welcome as many of these items as possible so that our friends can take them away for a bit of ongoing sustenance.
Clothing, toiletries and other supplies
When you're living on the streets with no money for food, you certainly don't have money for clothes and hygiene products. Donations of spare clothes are most welcome.
Also, many households stock up on toiletries and have a surplus in their cupboards. Imagine if we had a local "Toiletries Amnesty" - there would be a big mountain of spare unopened products!
We are always grateful for your clothing and toiletries donations. Please make sure toiletry items are new and unopended.
Please spread the word, get collecting and donating, and tell your friends!
Examples of essential items:
- Mens/womens Waterproof/winter coats are important
- Sleeping bags
- Mens/womens socks
- Mens Boxer shorts
- Mens/womens hats and gloves
- Mens tops (medium is most popular, small and large also welcome)
- Mens trousers (30 waist is popular)
- Womens tops and trousers (sizes 10/12 and under)
- Mens/womens underwear and thermals
- Mens/womens footwear (e.g. trainers or boots - female sizes 5-6, male sizes 8-10 are popular)
- Towels, wet wipes, tissues, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream/gel, disposable razors, band aids, deodorant and sanitary products.
Please spread the word, get collecting and donating, and tell your friends!
If you can supply anything which is along the lines of what we have listed above. Please get in touch.
Also if you are from a local business and can donate products and/or facilities for our kitchen operation and outreach evenings, we would love to hear from you.
Adapt Outdoors Shop - drop-off point in Liverpool City Centre
We have a convenient drop-off point in Liverpool City Centre, Adapt Outdoors retail store, which is close to Whitechapel and just off Church Street (near H&M and Vodafone).
