Church property to become food bank

The Archdiocese of Malta and the Malta Food Bank Foundation signed an official agreement for the setting up of a food bank, the first of its kind in Malta. This service that is going to be administrated by the Malta Food Bank Foundation (MFBF) is aimed at recovering surplus food to distribute to NGOs that help the poor and those at risk of poverty.

The property which was given to MFBF for a definite period of time is situated in Ħamrun and was previously used by Dar Fra Diegu as a food store. The Archdiocese also committed itself to carry out structural works to support this initiative. Following the works which started this week, MFBF will provide the necessary equipment, such as shelving and machinery, as well as human resources for this initiative to be run on a voluntary basis.

The Malta Food Bank Foundation, which has been affiliated with the European Food Banks Federation (FEBA) since 2011, will work as a bridge between the food supply chain donating surplus food and NGOs helping the most deprived to have access to the fundamental right to food. This activity is essential in order to improve the sustainability of food systems and to prevent food waste. This is the mission of the 388 food banks of FEBA in Europe which are committed to feed the most deprived. FEBA provides over 4 million meals on a daily basis to 8 million people through 44,700 charitable organisations in 28 European countries.

During a meeting that was held today, Saturday, 6^th October 2018, at the Archbishop’s Curia, in Floriana, the Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi who presided over the agreement said that this is another project through which the Church in Malta is responding in a tangible way to the reality of poverty in Malta. He expressed his appreciation for the initiative of the Malta Food Bank Foundation that will contribute towards the wellbeing of society. This meeting was also attended by Mgr Charles Cordina, Episcopal Vicar for Diaconia, Andrew Azzopardi, Director of Kummissjoni Ejjew Għandi, Angela Frigo, Secretary General of the European Food Banks Foundation, and Irene Schembri, Chairperson of the Malta Food Bank Foundation.

Mrs Schembri thanked Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna, Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi and Mgr Charles Cordina. She said that the service offered by the food bank will follow the teachings of Pope Francis who said that: “This culture of waste has also made us insensitive to wasting and throwing out excess foodstuffs, which is especially condemnable when, in every part of the world, unfortunately, many people and families suffer hunger and malnutrition”. 

The agreement was signed by Andrew Azzopardi on behalf of the Archdiocese of Malta and Irene Schembri on behalf of the Malta Food Bank Foundation.