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

Dearest friends and supporters,

We are truly grateful for your support of “Maisto bankas” mission. I believe that very soon we will have a truly needed new van, but until I am able to share this good news with you, let me share some highlights of our work and achievements this year.

3 000 000 meals saved from getting wasted in 4 months.

Since the beginning of this year Lithuanian food bank “Maisto bankas” has saved 1 482 981 kg of food from getting wasted. That is almost 3 000 000 meals that could have gone to landfill, but instead - it ended up on the tables of those in need. Fruits and vegetables, meats and dairy, bread and groceries – all these products in each food package.

Six new departments began saving food in regional towns of Lithuania.

During last few months “Maisto bankas” has opened six new divisions in smaller towns of Lithuania. Now we can recruit local volunteers that collect surplus food from local shops, farmers and producers and, most importantly, know local struggling people as well as neighbors. This way we will be able to respond better to people’s needs and adapt quicker when their situations change.

Nearest plan – free food shops

This year we are working hard to open several free food shops. Until now we have been handing out prepackaged food packages to people we serve. We feel that receiving food aid can be a more dignified activity. The way to do it so – a shop, where a person in need can walk in and choose what he needs. The only difference from a real shop – no need to pay.

Our goal is to have at least 2-3 free food shops by the end of this year. I will let you know about the results.

The amount of food saved from farmers is increasing.

In 2023 we saved 182 870 kg of food from farmers. That is 8 times more than in 2022 during the same time, when we saved 22 483 kg. These are all “ugly” fruits and vegies that didn’t meet the standard. Our effort and hard work, begun last year, pays off.

The increasing amount is extremely gratifying, but at the same time – tough. The lack of transportation means that our drivers and volunteers must work longer hours to collect all this food and some of it still remains unrecovered.

There is no better time to invest in food saving – we know where the surplus of food is, and we know people who need it. Only with your help we can recover it.

We kindly ask you to share the link to our project with all your friends and people you know: 500 t of food: saved from wasting, given to poor - GlobalGiving. Add a personal story about why you chose to donate – your good example might inspire them.

Gratefully and sincerely, 

Dovile in the name of all “Maisto bankas” team.