This year Austen House are supporting the St Albans and District Foodbank. In order to support their charity, they are asking that students who can afford to do so, donate an item from the list below to the foodbank between 20 May - 7 June.

The foodbank helps families in crisis by supplying them with three days’ worth of emergency food.

How does it work?

Professionals from statutory and voluntary organisations such as doctors, health visitors, social      workers, Citizens Advice Bureau staff, welfare officers, the police and probation officers, identify     people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher. Clients bring their voucher to a foodbank  centre where it can be exchanged for three days supply of emergency food. The list of foods in each parcel have been designed by dieticians to provide recipients with nutritionally balanced food. Whilst their food is being packed, the foodbank volunteers will sit and chat with clients over a cup of tea or hot meal. This enables them to hear their stories and signpost them to agencies who can offer           additional help and begin to resolve any underlying problems.

What will Austen House be doing?

Throughout the week Austen House will be collecting in the donated items of produce. Items can be donated at the start of school to a House Captain or prefect on duty in main reception.

What can you donate?

Below is a list of the food items that the foodbank is currently in need of. For every item a student   donates they will be awarded one House Point. Please can you ensure that all donated items clearly display a use-by date and preferably have a minimum of four months until that date.

UHT Milk (Powdered or Carton)	Instant Coffee	Ketchup/Brown Sauce
Sugar (500g bags)	Tinned Potatoes	Salt/Pepper
Fruit Juice	Condensed/Evaporated Milk	Stock Cubes/Gravy Granules
Pasta	Tinned Meat	Snacks (crisps/biscuits)
Rice	Tinned Fish	Pet Food
Pasta Sauces	Tinned Vegetables	Baby Food, Nappies
Sponge Puddings (Tinned)	Tinned Fruit	Washing-Up Liquid
Custard	Tinned Tomatoes	Kitchen Roll/Toilet Roll
Rice Pudding (Tinned)	Jam	Black Bags/Cleaning Products/Bleach
Tea Bags	Cooking Oil (half litre bottles)	Toiletries/Feminine Hygiene Products

Miss McHugh, Assistant Headteacher