FOOD AID

An answer to a vital right, a gate to social inclusion

A testimony by a European stakeholder

Intergroup Extreme poverty and human rights, European Parliament

Brussels, 19 February 20131

Characteristics of our Food Banks

• Communities-based initiative, non-profit organizations

• At the service of charitable organizations, despite of their background (politic, religion,…)

• They operate thanks to the support of many other organizations and volunteers. Food Banks depend on them…but they are independent from donors, charitable organizations, municipalities.

• They focus on food aid… but strive also to provide additional services to these associations: training, social jobs, assistance to get equipment…

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France-79

Belgium-9

Spain-52

Italy-21

Ireland-1

Portugal-19

Poland-27

Greece-1

Luxemburg-1

Hungary-1

Czech Rep-3

Slovakia-1

Germany-1UK-17

Lithuania-1

Serbia-1

Netherlands-8

Switzerland-1

Denmark-1

Estonia-1

Montenegro-1

A network of 247 Food Banks in 21 countries

Ukraine-Devt

Romania-DevtSlovenia-Devt

Croatia-Devt

Macedonia- Devt

Bulgaria- Devt

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Fight against hunger, poverty and exclusion• Permanently, at the center of a network of community beneficiary charities

and social agencies which can concentrate on helping people• Contributing to re-insert people by providing jobs• Stabilizing communities around a common mission

With two levers…

• The fight against waste • Giving a new economic value to edible products• Avoiding disposal and reputation costs for companies• Reducing impact on environment: soil preservation, CO2 emissions• Educating people on reducing food waste

• The promotion of solidarity and citizenship among public bodies, companies, charitable organizations and individuals.

• Calling for donations and for volunteering from many sources

A Unique Role

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• Recover food, free of charge, from various sources, much of which would otherwise be wasted.

Food Banks - FEBA model

• Sort and store it in warehouses, in compliance with hygiene and safety standards.

• Distribute it, free of charge, to charitable organizations and social services which support the most deprived people.

… all over the year.

To help the most deprived people to restore themselves

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At the Heart of the Society

Public BodiesEU

States, Regions, Cities

Salvation Army Red Cross Social Centers

Certified Charitable Organizations

Most Deprived People

CompaniesFood, Retail, Transport

Banks, Trusts..

Food Surplus

IndividualsRegular, Ad-hoc

EquiptsTime,Talents

Other Orge.g. Club Services

MoneyOp. costs

FOOD BANKS

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Food Recovered in 2011

European Union

Food Aid Programme

55%

States 5%Withdrawal from market

Retail Industry Hyper/Super MarketsFood Surplus 14%

OthersProducers & Coops Restaurants, Canteens,1%

IndividualsIn-Store Collection Days,

On line 9%

Food Processing Industry

Surplus 17%

FOOD BANKS

Total 430 000 Tons+ 16% vs 2010

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Our Impact on Reducing Hunger

Number of Charities Served Food Distributed (000Tons)

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

288

370

399Cagr 5 years +8%

0

5 000

10 000

15 000

20 000

25 000

30 000

35 000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Cagr 5 years +5% 31

2826

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Our Impact on Reducing Hunger

Number of Beneficiaries (million) Number of Meals Served (million)

0,0

1,0

2,0

3,0

4,0

5,0

6,0

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Cagr 5 years +4%5,25,0

4,3

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

577

720799Cagr 5 years +8%

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• Distributed food: 400 000 tons

• Equivalent to 800 million meals

• To 5,2 million beneficiaries

• Through 31 000 charitable associations and social centers

• Thanks to 10 900 persons, of which 90% are volunteers

Key Figures 2011

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Food Banks help in Social Inclusion (1)

By looking for better nutrition

• They strive to take into account the specific needs of charitable organisations and of the people they accompany in diversifying the products

• They organise training, workshops (e.g. domestic budget, hygiene, food safety, cooking)

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Food Banks help in Social Inclusion (2)

- They employ people in social re-insertion- They set up small social insertion companies,

i.e. for transforming unsold fishes, fruits and vegetables

- Some FBs build partnerships with prisons for producing vegetables

- They promote creation of innovative solidarity bodies (e.g. Portugal: Entrajuda)

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Food Banks create Social Cohesion

• They call for solidarity: EU ( Most deprived programme); companies (CSR policy); the involvement of civil society with volunteers for lasting commitment (10.000 people) or for punctual involvement (500.000 people)

• They promote citizenship in the frame of fight against waste

• They organise solidarity networks between their various partners

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2010: increasing number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion

Over 115 million people (23,4% of the population). A relevant deterioration of the social situation and the consequences of the financial and economic crisis.

December 2013: the end of the MDP In 2011 more than 31,000 charitable organizations, 18,9

million people benefited from the programme.

In the Europe 2020 strategy the Union has set five ambitious objectives and, in particular,

to reduce poverty and social exclusion:at least 20 million fewer people in or at risk of

poverty and social exclusion.

 

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24 October 2012 A new proposal: Fund for European Aid to the Most

Deprived (FEAD)

This proposal is important because this Fund represents an absolute news in the European legislation.

The FEAD is not only a cost but an investment for a more cohesive and secure EU.

The FEAD helps to believe that the EU is a good for everyone.

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Is it possible to improve the FEAD?

• Budget: € 2,5 billion per 7 years per 28 Member States is an insufficient investment for the purpose of the Fund.

• Co-financing. Member States with economic difficulties could not guarantee the implementation of the Fund.

• Use of intervention stocks. They could be a further supply in addition to the allocated budget.

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CONCLUSION

From Food Aid as a means for benefiting of a vital human right,

Food Banks want to promote a huge solidarity in EU countries and advocate against food waste

so that people in need have their place in a inclusive and sustainable society.

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Thank you

For further information, please contactGérard ALIX feba@eurofoodbank.org

+ 33 (0) 1 45 36 05 45

and visit our website www.eurofoodbank.org

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