The project Food for others is a collaboration between Living for others and grocery stores, restaurants, and companies aimed at using food waste to distribute food among needy families in the Stockholm area.
We started the project in October 2021 with the first food distribution after signing an agreement with Willys in Skogås/Länna. After the first year, we had made 82 different deliveries to about 30 families. We got more families, more volunteers, and more stores. Right now, we have partnerships with Willys Skogås/Länna, Costco Arninge, and Willys Mariahallen in Södermalm.
We distribute food to more than 60 families. We have calculated that we rescue and distribute over 4 tons of food every year. A great effort for many families and for the environment!
The distribution takes place every Saturday in two different groups. The products that the stores provide us with are mostly food items whose best before date is approaching and other products with damaged packaging. Young volunteers from Living for others collect these products from the stores and go around to the families' homes on the same day to deliver them. It is a brief but very pleasant meeting. The families suffer from various economic problems, such as single mothers without fixed incomes, families where both parents are unemployed and sometimes lack work permits, etc. These families have contacted Living for others thanks to social workers from organizations such as City Mission, Swedish Church, and Caritas who have provided them with information about our project.
At each occasion, the volunteers drive about 100 km to reach stores and the 6-8 families we visit. The cost for car and gasoline is about 1,000 SEK/occasion. This has been funded thanks to contributions from private individuals and organizations, such as Caritas or Solidarity Project from European Solidarity Corps