Food Bank, Athens
The Food Bank of Athens, a member of the European Federation of Food Banks (FEBA), was founded in 1995 by Gerasimos Vassilopoulos with the aim of fighting hunger and food waste. The Food Bank collects more than 1,000 tons of food per year (as well as non-food items, such as cleaning products) from industries, supermarkets and producers, with a preference for items which, while absolutely fit for human consumption, cannot be marketed for various reasons and end in landfills. The Food Bank owns a warehouse with refrigerating facilities, from where food and other items are distributed to 144 charities and organisations, such as nursing homes, orphanages, soup kitchens and local parishes. An institution recognized by the state, the Food Bank operates with minimal permanent staff and with the help of volunteers, and has developed considerable expertise in its field. It relies solely on private funding and is supported by charitable foundations, such as the A. G. Leventis Foundation. Celebrating 20 years of operation in 2015, the organisation’s ambition today is to help create food banks in every large city of Greece. The first, successful step in that direction has already been made, with the establishment of the Food Bank in Thessaloniki, which is now an independent body.
Grants given:
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
