The fight against waste<\/p>\n\n
Continuing the original vision of food banks, the main driving force is the fight against food waste. Fundamentally, this involves capturing surpluses found at various stages of the agri-food sector value chain. Donations are received, with emphasis placed on the importance of in-kind contributions. When companies or organizations wish to contribute money, food banks invite these entities to directly purchase the necessary goods and donate them. <\/p>\n\n
The opening of a new food bank is preceded by a survey of potential donors in its area of operation. Subsequently, meetings are scheduled with the various identified companies and a business partnership is proposed, through which the various advantages of donations are made explicit: elimination of destruction or storage costs for surplus goods, tax benefits, since donations are considered a tax expense at 140% of their value, and reinforcement of their social responsibility policy. <\/p>\n\n
Food banks do not purchase food products, despite not having the full variety of products that would be desirable.1 This position facilitates and makes transparent the relationship with donor companies in the food sector, since the banks are never clients, but solely recipients of donations. On the other hand, allowing direct purchases could distort the entire operation and central objective of the banks. Instead of combating waste, there could be a risk of focusing attention on seeking funds. <\/p>\n\n
Food banks have a strongly local character and obtain donations from institutions in the region where they operate. Only donations granted by national companies are redistributed. The method of dividing these goods among the various food banks is reviewed annually and takes into account factors such as the operational efficiency of each bank and statistics on social needs in the region. <\/p>\n\n
There are already a reasonable number of Food Banks operating throughout the country. Is it advisable to support the multiplication of their number and, if so, based on what criteria? The profound crisis, with recession, that all of Europe is experiencing, should lead Food Banks to adopt a proactive attitude, namely some education or dissemination of practices for greater product recycling, savings wherever possible, with rationality and discipline in eating habits and, in general, in consumption, to have a more sober and healthy life? <\/p>\n\n
And why not take advantage of accumulated experience to promote improved performance of Institutions and their staff regarding organization and management capacity, providing them with training and advice?<\/p>\n\n
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