In Kind Direct: Ensuring everyone has access to life’s essentials and that no usable product goes to waste

In Kind Direct (IKD) is a UK charity that supports charitable organisations (including churches) with essential products donated by corporate partners. Through its network, IKD is supporting 15,000 charities in their mission to help people stay clean, safe and well.

IKD supports a wide range of organisations including registered charities, food banks, community centres and groups, warm hubs, schools, scouts, etc., who use products to support their communities and the day-to-day running of their facilities.

IKD prioritises sourcing key products such as toilet roll, deodorant, period products, cleaning & laundry products, baby supplies, toys, clothing and more –  supplying items across a wide range of categories that give people dignity and make them feel valued.

When the Compassionate Communities Team heard about In Kind Direct’s (IKD) offer, we feared it sounded too good to be true!
So we spoke to IKD’s Charity Network Director to find out more.

Here are the responses to the key questions we had, when thinking about the church ministry context.

If you have any further questions, however, you can contact IKD directly here, or find more information in the FAQ section and T&C’s of IKD’s website.

Is there a network joining fee? How does IKD cover its own costs?

It is free to join the network, but there is a variable delivery charge on orders to cover their storage and shipping.  

Is there a minimum or maximum number of products I can purchase? 

There is a minimum order value of £20.  

There are some limitations on bulk purchasing on each order, to ensure all network members have the chance to access popular goods. It is possible, however, to place multiple orders for the same product at the same time.  

Is it possible to buy single items? 

The majority of IKD’s products are sold in bulk, but there are a few exceptions for more expensive items, such as laptops.   

Can religious institutions join the scheme? 

Yes, and there are a good number of London churches signed up already. The important thing to note is that products purchased from In Kind Direct should be used for ministry purposes, rather than church Business As Usual. For example: 

• Vegware purchased from IKD should be used in the community café, rather than by home groups. 

• Toys should be purchased for the community toddler group, not for youth church.  

• Paper purchased through IKD’s partnership with Office Direct should be used for printing debt advice leaflets rather than Sunday service sheets. 

Can we buy products to use as raffle prizes in our community ministry fund raiser? 

No, this is not allowed as it goes against the spirit of IKD’s mission, which is to ensure these products are given away to those who need them, rather than sold on for profit.  

Can we buy products to sell on in a social supermarket / community shop? 

Generally speaking, products bought from IKD should not be sold on; however, ministries such as social supermarkets may nevertheless be eligible to buy from IKD, as their primary purpose is not to generate income. The IKD team will be able to advise you further.  

Do our ministries have to be serving people in a particular income bracket?  

There is no blanket exclusion on ministries, whose welcome might extend to better off members of the community participating in e.g. toddler groups or mental health cafes. If the customer service team have any questions or concerns arising from the ministry description in your registration application, they will reach out to you directly for more information.  

Can we set an email alert to inform us when specific stock becomes available? 

Unfortunately, IKD does not offer automated product alerts. You will need to check in on a regular basis to review the products on offer. It is possible, however, to sign up to the twice-weekly product flyers, which provide a general update on new stock.  

Do you stock much dry food that could be used by food banks? 

IKD stocks very little food. Its core offering rather consists of toiletries, cleaning products, and baby items.  

Is there something wrong with the stock for IKD to be able to sell it on so cheaply? 

IKD only supplies quality stock. It is able to provide this at 10-20% of retail value because its offer consists of surplus stock, donated stock, and high-quality seconds.