European Food Banks Rally to Aid Ukraine
The leaders of European food banks convened a meeting on Monday to plot out ways to support Ukraine’s food banking system as war continues to unfold throughout the country, sending hundreds of thousands of people fleeing from their homes.
In addition to sending support for Ukraine’s main food bank, located in the capital city of Kyiv, the European Food Banks Federation (FEBA) pledged to also assist food banks in neighboring countries that are receiving refugees, including Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
The Kyiv City Charitable Foundation Food Bank anticipates that it will be depleted of its food reserves within a month, according to FEBA. The food banks in surrounding countries are also under duress, reporting needs including food, water, hygiene products, funds and logistics help.
While up until Monday, the Ukraine food bank had been relying on its supply chain to receive food, the situation is highly fluid. In fact, during Monday’s call, representatives from Ukraine’s food bank were forced off the call when air sirens sounded, according to a representative of Global Foodbanking Network who was on the call.
The Ukraine food bank is focused on meeting the needs of people who are staying and/or fighting in Kyiv, as well as sending support to aid refugees as they make their way to border crossings, said Nina Blecker, Vice President, Strategic Communications at Global Foodbanking Network. It is setting up collection and distribution points in the western part of the country and is in contact with the government to aid distribution, she added.
According to a facebook posting on Tuesday from Food Bank Ukraine, the food bank is “currently negotiating and trying to temporarily organize our activities in the western parts of the country for the people who have been forced to leave their homes and urgently move in search of security.” It also gave thanks to the “numerous offers of help and support from all over the world during these terrible times.”
FEBA, which has members in 29 European countries, is serving as a coordinating body to the relief effort, mapping out the region’s needs. It has also allocated 300,00 euros (about $330,000) to provide immediate food aid and support to the Ukraine food bank.
With the possibility that the crisis could set off an exodus of millions of refugees, Jacques Vandenschrik, FEBA President, noted in a press release that “the need for much more help is evident ... to assist human beings in their unbearable sufferings.” – C.C.
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