The Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) supports and advocates on behalf of independent food aid providers operating across the UK while the need for charitable food aid exists. IFAN’s vision is of a country without the need for charitable food aid and in which good food is accessible to all.

The network's membership includes over 550 independent food banks while IFAN has been responsible for the identification of at least 1174 independent food banks across the whole of the UK.

IFAN supports and advocates on behalf of its member organisations in a range of different ways including:

sharing advice, guidelines, best practice and funding opportunities
organising meetings, webinars and conferences for member organisations to share concerns, ideas and best practice
distributing PPE, up-to-date information related to the pandemic and small grants
collating food parcel distribution data from network members and other independent food banks and using these figures to advocate for policy changes to end the need for charitable food aid in the UK
calling for a cash first approach to food insecurity to reduce the poverty driving the need for charitable food aid
making joint calls with many other anti-poverty charities to see a reduction in poverty levels in the UK
leading work across the UK to co-develop local 'Worrying About Money?' cash first referral leaflets

We are regularly asked to comment and contribute information by journalists, academics, civil servants, politicians and other third sector organisations. Member organisations frequently take part in national surveys, research projects, conferences as well as IFAN's data collation project. You can read more about IFAN's work in news coverage listed here and throughout our website.

If you have any questions at all about IFAN membership please don't hesitate to contact Sabine or Maria at admin@foodaidnetwork.org.uk