March 17-18 the spring “Maisto bankas” campaign will be held in stores, which is being organized for the 34th time in Lithuania.
Residents of 70 different areas of Lithuania are invited to support those in need of food, and the donated products will be distributed to 323 non-governmental organizations operating in Lithuania, which will distribute support to people living in a more difficult situation.
“We entered March with no long-term food stocks at all, and the number of people asking for help is unfortunately growing every month. We try to help people from wasting saved products, vegetables that farmers did not sell but donated, but they are not enough. Therefore, we have high hopes for this year’s “Maisto bankas” campaign. How long and how many people we will be able to help will depend on it,” says Simonas Gurevičius, head of Maisto bankas.
According to him, food donated by the public especially saves people living in remote areas. “If in the cities we try to distribute as much preserved food as possible, which is usually valid on the last day, then to rural areas, smaller towns where there are no branches of ours – we transport long-life food products. Volunteers just prepare bigger packages, they last longer for people.”
Oil, flour and preserves are the most needed
Last year, the food donated during the spring and autumn actions of “Maisto Bank” was distributed to 67,847 people – senior citizens, disabled people, families caring for children, Ukrainians who fled the war and live in Lithuania, large families, and single parents.
Simonas Gurevičius, head of “Maisto bankas”, notices that the most simple food products make those in need more and more happy. “If in the past the most smiles when opening a support bag were caused by an additional tea bag or cookies, now people are most happy to receive oil or flour. In general, oil is currently the most popular and most requested food product, followed by canned goods and flour. Therefore, in order to make a holiday, a person needs very little – oil, flour, and someone’s life becomes much brighter.”
At the same time, S. Gurevičius adds that a significant number of people only apply for temporary help – until the situation improves. “People come with very clear requests – to help only until the heating season is over or until the children’s holidays are over and they can get free school meals again. So the basic basic food products are the best temporary help”.
Support is collected by different organizations
Traditionally, local non-governmental organizations organized by “Maisto bankas” will collect support for the people under their care in the stores, so to find out who will receive the donated products and what the people under the care of a particular organization need most, you can always ask the volunteers handing out flyers or pay attention to the notes at the support collection points.
“Maisto bankas” itself collects replenishment for its warehouses only in a few stores, we have delegated the largest part of all stores to other organizations – partners. This year, where donations are not collected by our volunteers, the carts at the collection points will be clearly marked with the names of the organizations. Therefore, we invite buyers to pay attention to the notes.
Most of the time, these are local district organizations, so the donated food does not travel far, thanks to these organizations, it goes to people who live in a more difficult place. Also, the list of all organizations is published on the “Maisto bankas” website,” emphasizes S. Gurevičius.
The promotion of “Maisto bankas” will take place in stores this Friday and Saturday. On Friday, volunteers will be waiting for donors from 3 to 8 p.m., and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. During the promotion, you are invited to contribute with funds by calling tel. 1343 (a donation of 5 euros) or by scanning the flyer handed over by a volunteer at the cash desk of the IKI, Maxima, Utenos prekyba stores.
“Maisto Bank” info.
