Food Security Lithuania Project #52098

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

by Maisto bankas

Summary

Do you think it is ok? Tens of thousands of tonnes of good food are being wasted by Lithuanian food industry, while 20 percent of the Lithuanian population is struggling to afford to eat. Isn't it unforgivable? Lithuanian food bank saves food from being wasted and distributes it to the poor. We could save much more and improve the livelihoods of thousands if we were not limited by the current infrastructure. We badly need one more minivan, which collects food from food stores, warehouses, farms.

$41,351
total goal

$27,394
remaining

218
donors

4
monthly donors

2
fundraisers

9
months

Challenge

Food is too precious to be a waste. It costs a lot of money, natural resources and a great deal of damage to the planet. It is even more precious when you realize that every fifth person in Lithuania is struggling to have a nutritious meal every day. Our main challenge is to make sure that all the surplus food that occurs along the food supply chain is not sent to landfills or used any other way but to feed those in need. Right now we badly need an additional minivan that collects surplus food.

Solution

Various sources inform us that there is from 20 000 to 80 000 tonnes of good food waisted in Lithuania annually. All this food could substantially improve the lives of thousands in our country. With the current infrastructure, we are able to save more than 5000 tonnes a year. In order to reach more we need to increase our transportation. With your help, we can save more of good nutritious food and make sure it gets to people in need, not landfills. One minivan will help us save 500-700 t a year.

Long-Term Impact

The project will increase the amount of food we save annually by 500-700 tonnes. This means: - more than a million meals a year; - almost 95 000 000 litters of freshwater, used to produce this amount of food, and more than 1500 tonnes of CO2, generated along the food supply chain, will not go in vain; - methane emission, that appears when food is rotting in landfills, will be prevented. Long term impact: people fed and ready to tackle their problems; damage to our precious planet diminished.