Local food banks
Food banks are charities that collect donated food and distribute it to people in need. Each has different ways of working, so contact your local branch to find out how to use it. The table below lists local food banks or you can Search for a food bank (Kent County Council).
| Name | Contact |
|---|---|
| Larkfield Community Church Foodbank | Larkfield Community Church Swallow Road Aylesford ME20 6PY foodbank@larkfieldcommunitychurch.co.uk |
| Aylesford Food Bank | St Peter and St Paul's Chruch Vicarage Close Aylesford ME20 7BB ruthmpeet@gmail.com |
| The East Malling Centre | The East Malling Centre Chapman Way East Malling ME20 7GR office.eastmallingcentre@gmail.com |
| Kings Hill Food Bank | St Gabriel's Church The Vicarage, 19 Worcester Avenue Kings Hill ME19 4FL mark.montgomery@stgabrielskingshill.org.uk |
| Feast (Tonbridge) | FEAST Higham Lane Tonbridge TN10 4JG feast4kids@gmail.com |
| Sustain Foodbank (Trench) | Tonbridge Baptist Church Darenth Avenue Tonbridge TN10 3HZ emma.lander@tonbridgebaptist.church |
| Tonbridge and Malling Family Food Bank (Families only) |
Little Foxes Children’s Centre Snodland Children’s Centre |
| Snodland Food Assist | Rectory Close Rocfort Road Snodland ME6 5NT snodlandfoodassist@gmail.com |
Healthy Start card
You could get help to buy food and milk if you:
- get a qualifying benefit
- are at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under the age of 4
See if you quality and find out more at Applying for Healthy Start (NHS)
Find out how to apply at How to apply for Healthy Start (NHS)
Household support fund
The Household Support Fund (HSF) is a grant to help towards food, gas, and electricity. The grant is paid to Kent County Council. Applications can be made Home essentials in a crisis while the scheme is open.
See Household support fund (Kent County Council)
Home essentials in a crisis
Kent Support and Assistance Service (KSAS) may be able to help you if you have experienced an unforeseen, short-term crisis or if you are facing exceptional pressures because of an emergency.
To apply you must:
- be aged 16 or over
- live in Kent
- live on a low working income, or receive a means-tested benefit if not in employment
- have no access to savings or support from other sources
See Home essentials in a crisis
Free school meals
If your child is under 19 and in full-time education, and you receive certain benefits, you may be able to get free school meals for them. You can apply online at Kent County Council.
See Apply for free school meals
Discounts and offers
The government has put together offers available from businesses to help with the cost of living. This includes local supermarkets that are offering free meals for children in their cafes and meal ideas for under £5.
See Discounts and offers.
Cheap or free food
OLIO is a food sharing app, which connects you to local people to share any extra food for free. Apps like Too Good To Go let you buy unsold food at local food outlets at a discount.