Pontefract Foodbank (Charity Registration Number 1155552) provides support to people resident in Pontefract and the surrounding villages. Affiliated to the Trussell Trust, it responds to referrals from local welfare agencies such as schools, the Probation Service and social housing providers by providing emergency food parcels and signposting information to help people through difficult times. Pontefract Foodbank partners with Wakefield Citizens Advice to link local people with expert advice about benefits and money worries including accredited debt advice.

St Giles’ Food Share, run under the governance of St Giles’ Parish Church (Charity Number 1135106), provides school holiday food parcels for local families with school-aged children who are likely to face particular hardship when free school meals are not available. Food Share also runs a not-for-profit Pantry Club in the Chequerfield area. Weekly £3 membership supplies basic groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables to families nominated by agencies and the Foodbank. The aim is to help prevent families falling into crisis and to be able to feed their children at the weekends when free school meals are not available.

Pontefract Foodbank and Food Share work in a way which complements and supports each other. Both aim to offer a "pathway out of poverty" providing help to ease current crises, access to qualified benefits and money advice, and support to help households achieve financial independence.