A little H.O.P.E. goes a long way
Helping Other People Eat
Every December, people across Malta turn a box in their kitchen, classroom or workplace into food for someone they may never meet. It fills a little at a time, with a tin picked up on the way home or a packet added to the weekly shop. Together, those small contributions help us support people through a difficult time.
We would love you to be part of it this Christmas. Add one non-perishable food item a day from 1 to 24 December, then bring your collection to one of our drop-off points. You can take part on your own, with your family or alongside a whole school or team.
Where will your collection begin?
The idea is the same wherever you put the box. How you fill it is up to you. Here are a few ways to make the Reverse Advent Calendar part of your December.
FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS
A box by the kitchen door
An empty box where you will see it is all you need to begin.
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Easy to fit in. Add something when you do the shopping.
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Good with children. Let them choose an item from the list and decorate the box.
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Better together. Share a collection with friends and neighbours.
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Give what you can. Bring a full box, a bag or just a few items.
SCHOOLS
Let children see what giving can do
A box at the front of the classroom gives children something they can see growing.
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A natural way to talk about kindness and the fact that families sometimes need help.
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Everyone can take part. Children can decorate the box or help with the collection, whatever their family can give.
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Collect your way. As a class, a year group or a whole school.
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We can help with posters, boxes and a shopping list to send home.
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Tell us when your term ends so we can agree the arrangements before the holidays.
Have a larger collection? Request a collection.
BUSINESSES AND ORGANISATIONS
Give a corner of your workplace a purpose
A box in reception or the staff kitchen gives colleagues somewhere to leave an extra item.
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Thanked publicly. Your donation will be thanked publicly on our page.
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Collect as one team, across departments or through a club or community group.
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Food, money or supermarket vouchers. You can collect any of these.
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We can help with posters, boxes, the shopping list, a short note and images to share internally.
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Tell us your plans. We will talk through the timing, the materials and how the food will reach us.
Have a larger collection? Request a collection.
From the first tin to the final box
An advent calendar is about receiving. A reverse advent calendar is about giving. Instead of taking something out each day, put something in. You can buy several items in one shop and add them through the month, or pick up a little whenever you can.
STEP 1
Find a box
Use a cardboard box or a strong reusable bag. Put it somewhere you will remember it.
STEP 2
Choose your food
Use the shopping list below. These are the kinds of food we include in our packs.
STEP 3
Add a little
One item a day from 1 to 24 December, or collect at a pace that works for you.
STEP 4
Check it over
Keep everything sealed and within date. Mark short dates with a sticky note.
STEP 5
Get it to us
Check your drop-off point’s dates and hours. Schools and businesses with a larger collection can request a pick-up.
What will you put in your box?
Think of the things you reach for in your own kitchen: something for breakfast, ingredients for dinner, a cup of coffee and a small treat. Those familiar foods have a place in our food packs too. This list helps you choose what to collect, in any order and in whatever amount you can give.
For the start of the day
Breakfast before school or work, or a cup of coffee while the house is still quiet. Familiar things that help the day begin.
Something to make a meal of
The everyday staples you can reach for when it is time to make lunch or dinner.
The things that bring it together
A sauce for the pasta, tomatoes for a pot of soup or stock to add to the rice. A few cupboard ingredients give people more ways to use what they have.
A little something to enjoy
A biscuit with a hot drink or something sweet after dinner. There is room for a little enjoyment in the box too.
Save the list for your next shop, send it to your class or team group, or print a copy to keep beside the box. You do not need to collect every item on it.
Before you close the box. Please keep food in its original, unopened packaging and check the dates before donating. We cannot accept expired food, fresh or frozen food or catering-size packs. If something has a short date, a sticky note helps our team spot it quickly and prioritise it.
For someone going through a difficult time
Food insecurity can happen suddenly. Work is lost, someone falls ill, a relationship ends. For many people, it is the result of one pressure too many. Needing help with food may be something they never expected to face.
Being able to put breakfast on the table or make dinner without worrying about whether there is enough can take one pressure away. That is what the food you collect helps us provide.
We support individuals, couples and families referred to us by social workers. Support runs for six weeks, helping people through an immediate crisis while longer-term help is found.
What happens when your box reaches us
Your collection joins food donated by people across Malta. At our stores, donations are checked, sorted and packed into weekly food packs for the people we support. Volunteers work alongside our staff to make that happen, giving their time to turn the food you bring into practical help. A box from a classroom, a bag from a neighbour and a collection from an office all become part of the same effort.
We are grateful to the partners who help us bring the campaign to life and to everyone who makes room for a collection each December.
LET'S GET YOUR COLLECTION STARTED
A place to bring your food
When your collection is ready, bring it to one of the drop-off points below. You are welcome whether you have a few items or several boxes. Check the venue’s collection dates and opening hours before you go, especially around the Christmas holidays.
MARSA
Foodbank Stores
10, Triq il-Pitkali, Marsa
Opening Hours:
- Monday and Wednesday 8:30am to 1pm
- Thursday 8:30am to 7pm
- Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday CLOSED
KALKARA
Homemate, Shoreline
Shoreline Mall, Triq Santu Rokku, SmartCity, Kalkara
Mon to Sun, 10am to 7.30pm
MRIEHEL
The Atrium
Giovanni Felice Street, Zone 3, Central Business District, Birkirkara CBD 3120
Mon to Fri, 9am to 7.30pm
Sat, Sun and public holidays, 9am to 6pm
Christmas Eve, 9am to 4pm
ZEJTUN
Homemate
Vjal 25 ta’ Novembru, Tal-Barrani Road, Żejtun
Mon to Sun, 8.30am to 8pm
TA' QALI
All Seasons Home & Garden
Triq id-Durumblat, Ta’ Qali, limits of Attard
Every day, including public holidays, 9.30am to 9.30pm
MRIEHEL
Homemate
Triq l-Imprendituri, Zone 3, Central Business District, Birkirkara CBD 3090
Mon to Sun, 8.30am to 8pm
SLIEMA
Homemate, The Point
The Point Shopping Mall, Tigné Point, Sliema TP 01
Mon to Sun, 10am to 7.30pm
ST JULIAN'S
Body Works
37, Triq Wied Għomor, Spinola Bay, St Julian’s STJ 2043
Drop-offs: Mon to Fri, 7am to 12pm
Tue and Fri also 5pm to 8.30pm
Shopping at the supermarket?
Even one can or packet makes a difference. Leave it in our drop-off box on your way out.
SUPERMARKET BOX
Pama, Mosta
SUPERMARKET BOX
Welbees, Naxxar
SUPERMARKET BOX
Welbees, Mellieħa
Register your school or organisation
If you are organising a collection for a school, business or group, register below. You do not need to have every detail worked out. Tell us what you have in mind, what might help you get started and when you would like to take part. We will be in touch to discuss the arrangements.
Need a hand getting your food to us?
We collect larger collections from schools, businesses and organisations. When your boxes are nearly ready, tell us where they will be and roughly how much there is, so we can look at the arrangements. Families and individuals are welcome to bring food to any drop-off point.
Already registered your school or organisation? You can come straight to this form.
Other ways to help
Not able to collect food? A financial donation helps us buy what is running short, and your everyday shopping can help too.
Give by text, phone or bank transfer
Donate by SMS
Send a text message to one of these numbers. The amount is added to your phone bill.
5061 7386
€2.33
5061 7912
€4.66
5061 8938
€6.99
Donate by phone call
Call one of these numbers. Your mobile or landline will be charged accordingly.
5150 2097
€5
5160 2041
€10
5180 2044
€25
5190 2053
€50
Bank transfer
Pay directly into the Foundation’s account.
ACCOUNT NAME
Foodbank Lifeline Foundation
BANK
Lombard Bank Malta plc
IBAN
MT28 LBMA 0500 0000 0000 0118 0115 687
SWIFT / BIC
LBMAMTMT
