In more than 2,000 brick-and-mortar stores in the Czech Republic and also on the Internet, the next round of the national food collection will take place today. From 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., customers can donate non-perishable food or drug supplies for people in need. The selected goods will go to food banks, from which non-profit organizations will distribute them to seniors, poor families or children from orphanages. In this year’s spring round of charity collection, a record 565 tons of goods were collected.
Collections are held annually in the spring and fall. The number of shops where people can donate goods to the collection has been increasing in recent years. While there were around 750 of them from 2013 to 2018, today 2,250 stores and 5,000 volunteers will participate in the event. In addition, until December 3, donors will be able to contribute by purchasing non-perishable food and drugstore goods in six e-shops.
The aim of the nationwide charity event is not only to help those in need, but also to give people the opportunity to show solidarity with those who do not have enough money left for basic non-perishable food or drugstore goods. There is a map on the collection website where interested parties can search for participating stores in their area.
According to the organizers, the greatest interest is mainly in canned goods, baby food, instant soups, shelf-stable milk, oil, rice and pulses, pasta and basic and children’s drugstore. In the stores, there will be volunteers in green aprons at the checkouts who will take the purchase directly from the basket or cart and sort it. At the beginning, they should also remind customers which food or drug store is appropriate to buy. The shopping list is also on website.
Food banks have approximately 100 partner non-profit organizations in each region, which distribute aid to those in need. People in need can also turn to the social departments of town halls. They can get a QR code, which they can use to pick up the package at the counter. Dispenses operate in 210 locations in the Czech Republic.
Source: www.tyden.cz
