500 t of food: saved from wasting, given to poor

Dear friends and supporters,

 We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your support of the Lithuania food bank "Maisto Bankas" mission. While our dream of acquiring a much-needed van remains on the horizon, we are excited to share some remarkable achievements from the past few months.

 Responding to the pressing issue of rising food prices and the risk of poverty affecting every fifth Lithuanian, "Maisto Bankas" has intensified its activities. In the last three months, Lithuania food bank has undergone significant expansion. Five new food distribution centers have opened in various cities across the country. These shops empower struggling individuals to select the food items that are the most essential for themselves and their families. The goal is to secure surplus food for those facing food insecurity and adhere to the principles of the EU's "From Farm to Fork/Table" strategy.

 Our commitment to alleviating the ongoing food crisis in Lithuania is evident in our efforts to establish partnerships with farmers, stores, manufacturing companies, and cafes. The organization has set a record by saving and distributing a staggering 6,650 tons of food in 2023 alone, the highest quantity achieved in a year.

 As we forge ahead, the impact of our work extends beyond immediate relief. The free food shops serve as a lifeline for those in need and function as educational centers, raising awareness about the importance of minimizing food waste. Your support has been instrumental in these accomplishments, and we look forward to continuing this journey together and making a positive impact on the lives of countless individuals across Lithuania.

Warm regards,

“Maisto Bankas”

Dearest friends and supporters,

We are grateful for your support of Lithuania food bank mission. Our team believes that soon we will have a so much needed van, but until then I want to share some good news with you, let me share some highlights of our work and achievements this year.

Last year Lithuanian food bank distributed almost 11 thousand tons of food, of which 6,193 tons are food saved from destruction. Currently, the organization supports 230 thousand people throughout Lithuania, and 601 social organizations also need support, and this year, so far we manage to save 4790 tones of food in Lithuania and it is not even the end of the year!

Lithuania opened first in Europe free food shop in Vilnius

Lithuanian food bank opened the first free food shop in Vilnius!

It is the first free food donation center in Lithuania and Europe where the people in need can choose products like in a regular store and they are free of charge.

Free food donations range consists of food that was saved from being thrown out, but is still suitable for human consumption.

Our main plan is that this free food shop in Vilnius will help feed more than a thousand people per week.

Lithuania food bank volunteers has a lot of work everyday, because in our free food shop, food needs to be counted, sorted, put on the shelves of the store in different categories.The amount of food is collected every day, so the volunteers will have to distribute every morning how much and which categories of food will be available for the people in need who comes to choose it everyday.

The main purpose of free shops in Lithuania

The main purpose of the free shops is not only to distribute food to the people in need, but also to become an educational center about how stop wasting food. This free shop which has been opened in Vilnius is only the first stop on the further development path for Lithuanian food bank. We have plans to open a dozen more free food shops in other Lithuanian cities - Kaunas, Radviliškis, Marijampole, Utena, Vilkaviškis, Telšiai, Akmene, Jurbarkas, Elektrenai, Alytus and several other cities.