Page 355 - DUBAI MUNICIPALITY ENGLISH PR REPORT - MARCH 2024

3/18/24, 9:29 AM UAE Food Bank launches initiative to distribute 5 million meals during Ramadan – The Gulf Time Newspaper
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.

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