UAE Food Bank launches initiative to distribute 5 million meals during Ramadan

DUBAI/WAM

The UAE Food Bank has announced the launch of five initiatives through which it will distribute five million meals this Ramadan. The initiative is held under the directives and supervision of the wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, H.H. Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the UAE Food Bank. An initiative under the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) umbrella, the UAE Food Bank focuses on effectively managing surplus food, minimising waste, and globally distributing it to the beneficiaries. Its effort underscores the values of kindness, generosity, charity, and social welfare.
The initiative aims to distribute 166,666 meals daily to feed over half a million families and more than three million workers. The bank’s commitment to supplying meals to beneficiaries encompasses diverse sub-initiatives and campaigns, including the ‘Your Iftar is on Us’ campaign, the ‘No for Wasting Food initiative, the ‘Cook of Thousand Meals’ initiative, ‘Food Parcel,’ and ‘Iftar with the Workers.’ Additionally, 25 educational programmes will be implemented to raise awareness of environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and volunteering.
Anticipating widespread support, the bank expects more than 350 strategic partners and supporters from food facilities, hotels, and companies. Over 5,000 volunteers will support the bank’s initiatives throughout Ramadan. The bank will also sign five partnership agreements to strengthen its efforts in efficiently managing surplus food and minimising waste in cooperation with the private sector. Dawoud Al Hajri, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the UAE Food Bank, underscored the significance of the bank’s initiatives during the holy month of Ramadan, highlighting the bank’s role as a comprehensive humanitarian system and a pioneering global institution that prioritises the value of food provision.
Al Hajri added, “With these initiatives, our objective is to promote responsible food management and reduce food waste. We further aspire to cultivate a sense of social responsibility, encourage volunteerism, and actively gather and distribute financial and food donations to beneficiaries. Our efforts are aimed at instilling values of compassion, generosity, and solidarity within the community, ensuring the efficient distribution of surplus food to the widest possible segment during the holy month of Ramadan.”
Al Hajri emphasised the bank’s goal to divert 975 tons of food waste, away from landfills during Ramadan, equivalent to planting 102,135 trees annually. This commitment aligns with the bank’s dedication to environmental sustainability, and contribute to the broader objectives of reducing carbon emissions and achieving a 30 percent reduction in food waste by 2027.
Within the framework of ‘Your Iftar is on Us’ initiative, the UAE Food Bank is set to gather meals for distribution to beneficiaries both within and outside the UAE. This initiative aims to provide 350,000 meals, donated by more than 50 organisations. The campaign will be organised by seven entities, with the participation of several volunteers.
The ‘Donate a Food Parcel’ initiative aims to gather contributions in the form of food parcels by purchasing vouchers redeemable at local retail stores. These food parcels are projected to supply up to 1.5 million meals. The UAE Food Bank is also organising an initiative focused on providing iftar meals to over 2,000 workers in Dubai. The primary goal of this initiative is to foster community solidarity and acknowledge the invaluable contributions of workers. The bank is set to organise the ‘Cook of Thousand Meals’ competition, an event convening aspiring chefs to cook and distribute 4,000 meals daily over five days during Ramadan in the UAE. This collaborative initiative is being organised in partnership with Taya Production.
Furthermore, the bank will collaborate with 200 donors from fruit and vegetable markets, commercial enterprises, and wholesale markets to redistribute surplus food and prepare meals adhering to high-quality standards for the well-being of workers, to provide up to two million meals. Additionally, any surplus cooked meals from local restaurants and hotels will also be distributed.
The UAE Food Bank’s ‘Food Rescue’ initiative strives to recycle unsuitable food for human consumption, diverting it from landfills and transforming it into fertilisers. This will be implemented with the National Food Loss and Waste initiative ‘Neama’ and partnership with the private sector. The initiative aims to recycle 1.5 million meals of surplus food and turn it into fertiliser that will be distributed to farmers in the Hatta region.
Since its inception in 2017, the UAE Food Bank has successfully distributed meals to over 35 million beneficiaries, both locally and globally.