Food banks distribute food aid to
thousands of people every week in Estonia, including 8000 children.
The number of people needing help
has increased due to rising cost of living, increased prices in energy and food
inflation. Estimates show 67,000 Ukraine refugees live in Estonia, which is 5%
of the Estonian population.
We met with Piet from Toidupank
to discuss ways humanitarian funds may assist in his food distribution efforts.
What started as ten food boxes in
a small one-room office in 2004 has grown into sixteen food bank branches
throughout the country. Over 20,000 people a week line up to receive food five
days a week.
This organization collects and
distributes food to thousands of people every day. The busy warehouse has up to
twenty-five volunteers who come every week to sort and fill plastic bags. Vehicles
arrive with pallets of salvaged food which is left over in grocery stores at
the end of the day. Warehouse workers move pallets around to replenish outgoing
food. Cooks prepare and serve hot meals in the small kitchen area. Piet is busy
coordinating fund raising events and purchasing supplemental food items like buckwheat,
sunflower oil, and canned fish.
Everyone is feeling the squeeze; we
observed long lines of people standing in subzero weather waiting to collect a
food bag. There were young and old, men and women, a variety of people. We were
advised many people are too sick or elderly to stand in line and the food bank
works with social services to deliver meals to those who are home bound.
Last year, when the war was
raging and it was a real threat to enter Ukraine, Piet heard Kiev was desperate
for food. He turned to his friends for help and against all resistance he loaded
pallets of food into seven trucks. They said it couldn’t be done that there is
too much paperwork or the trucks would be high-jacked and the food stolen
before it arrived. Regardless, all the trucks made it to Kiev and delivered the
food. He has gained much respect in the food community because of his bravery
and kindness.
We look forward to developing a humanitarian project with this
organization.
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