This is how you can donate as food bank campaign gets under way with 330 supermarkets throughout Malaga province taking part

The two most important days for the Malaga food bank organisation Bancosol are 7 and 8 November. That is when the Gran Recogida campaign takes place, with the participation of 330 supermarkets throughout the province. On those two days, volunteers spread the word and collect money that goes towards purchasing food for the most vulnerable people in the province. Estimates point to 23,181 beneficiaries from a total of 131 social organisations that work with Bancosol this year.

Laura was a beneficiary a few years ago, when she couldn't find a job and provide for her three-year-old son and herself for a while, despite being qualified as a special education teacher. Having faced a real struggle in the eye, she knows "how important it is to help, even if it's just with one euro". After Bancosol supported her for a year and a half, she decided to become a collaborator in the organisation's fundraising campaigns.

During the toughest patch, Laura asked Bancosol and the Jarifa association for help and they did not hesitate. What was most important for her was for her son to not feel like they were struggling and to put food on his plate every day, which Bancosol helped her do. For this reason, she has full trust in such campaigns and encourages people to unashamedly seek help.

Laura has volunteered with every campaign since that difficult year. She has witnessed the transition from collecting food to monetary donations, whether in cash, at supermarket tills or through Bizum or a bank transfer. "Before, people only donated pasta and rice and we didn't have fruit or vegetables to cover the food needs of children," she says.

A large number of the beneficiaries are children. According to Bancosol, of the 23,282 people they serve, 5,786 are children. Manuel Martín promotes collaboration with campaigns like this one for this very reason. "There are many families with children who are in this situation... None of us would like to be in their place and that is why it is so necessary for us to collaborate," he says. Manuel has been a donor in Bancosol's Gran Recogida for many years. "I know all the work that is done there and I have no doubt that my money will go to a good cause; they manage it well and the food is distributed among the most vulnerable groups in the province throughout the year," he states.

Nowadays, the collection consists of adding one euro or more to your shopping bill, which allows Bancosol to distribute the food as requested by social organisations. This eliminates the risk of accumulating expired foods or having thousands of items of only one type of food. It helps Bancosol provide products essential for people's day-to-day lives.

The supermarkets involved in the Gran Recogida are Carrefour, Maskom, Mercadona, Día, El Jamón, Lidl, Eroski, El Corte Inglés. 4,000 volunteers will work across Malaga province, ready to help anyone understand how to make a donation. You can also donate through Bizum (00887) or the available bank accounts (ES44 2100 8688 7702 0011 6290 or ES41 2103 0262 9500 3001 6299).