Food Bank (ARC Pantry)
Our Food Bank (which operates under a pantry model) provides food support to those in our neighbourhood who are struggling to afford sufficient food to feed their household. We provide people with access to simple and nutritious food and essentials when they need it most.
Despite its repuatution as an affluent borough, Islington has the 5th highest rate of children living in poverty, after housing costs, in the UK.
According to new research by the End Child Poverty Coalition, over 15,000 local children (37.2%) are growing up in households struggling to make ends meet. And this rate has risen sharply over recent years.
Islington has the 6th highest level of income deprivation in London, and the 4th highest in the England for income deprivation affecting older people.
We don't think anyone in our neighbourhood should go hungry!
Our Food Bank originated as an emergency response to extreme local need and has evolved to provide regular food support to households every week. This sets us apart from other food services, as our reliability aims to aid clients in redistributing their income, and accessing wraparound support and advice for other things they may need help with.
In 2025 we transitioned to a pantry model with the support of the Cripplegate Foundation. The ARC Pantry now provides the exact same fresh essentials and cupboard staples, but our clients walk through our community pantry choosing their own items. This transition increases client agency, resists the stigma associated with food banks and enables us to support more local people sustainably. After an initial free access period of four moths, households can continue accessing the pantry for £3 per visit (where a household receives, on average, £30 worth of food).
Alongside food we provide other essentials such as period products, toiletries and nappies. We also partner with various support and advocacy services, such as Age UK, who attend to offer wraparound services and sign-posting on any issue which our clients may be facing. All of our clients benefit from free access to our Yoga and movement studio and classes.
How you can support us
Volunteer
Our Volunteers are our greatest resource and without them our Pantry could not operate. These local people dedicate some of their spare time to help their neighbours. They embody the spirit of community and generosity.
We need your help so our Pantry can continue to help our neighbours!
We are recruiting volunteers for various roles and tasks that help the Pantry run. No experience is necessary. Express your interest below to hear more about what we need help with!
Donate
We rely on financial donations to keep our food service open.
Help ARC Collective with its mission to create tangible and positive change in the local community for the benefit of everyone. If you have the means, please support us with a recurring or one-off donation.
Donations help us cover the cost of food products, staff time and overhead costs. Donations are always directed to the area of greatest need to ensure all of our vital services can continue.
Our doors are always open to those who are in need of support
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Apply
Our Food Bank is currently oversubscribed and we are operating a waiting list that can be long. If you need immediate help meeting your household food needs please find other support options here.
We operate a self-referral system. We serve a very local area consisting of households in N1 7_ _ and N1 8_ _ postcodes. However you should also be eligible if we are your closest or most accessible food bank.
If you are in our catchment you can come in to speak to us about the waiting list. Ask for Asha:
98b St Paul Street, N1 7DF
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More Info
At this time we do not accept Food Bank vouchers issued by other professionals.
If you have any questions please call our Pantry Manager Asha on 07727157138 or email on asha@arccollective.co
If you are not eligible due to your location, click below to see other local food support via Islington Food Partnership.