I volunteered for first aid at a food bank event many times

I have been a volunteer at my local Food Bank for around 8 years now …obviously as I live in the U.K. our list of food we recommend donors donate to us varies slightly from your US list, although it’s basically the same in principle. We are part of a nationwide network of these life saving food banks run by an organisation (a registered charity) called The Trussell Trust. We encourage our donors to donate from a list we issue, which includes UHT or long-life milk on it. We do not include fresh foods, any foods which have to be refrigerated or have a short shelf life, although we are working on getting local stores to donate vouchers for fresh food, such as meat and vegetables. Our local supermarkets are extremely generous, as are Tesco and Asda who have a nationwide deal with us to allow us to have trolleys placed at the exit to their stores encouraging shoppers to donate a few items from their own shopping.

The problem that I always have is that frequently basic staples are no longer recognised as such - example flour water & eggs let me make bread but bread making flour is sold as a boutique item. If you add yeast to the list of must haves & teach people how to make bread you are like the person giving knowledge of how to fish thus feeding that person for life & not just the day of a single fish.

Another that irritates me is female hygiene products. I don't think my mother ever used them. She used sterilised ripped up towels - month after month - and so did everyone else of her generation. Post WWII Britain was not a rich country nor inclined to prioritise money on such products.