Largest annual food drive estimated to help 230,000 vulnerable people

The largest annual food drive across Catalonia, organized by the Banc dels Aliments food bank, will help around 230,000 people in a vulnerable situation.

The event, celebrating its 17th edition, will take place on the weekend of November 7 and 8, under the motto 'Ho donem tot' (We give it all).

Organizers announced that they require 14,000 volunteers to sort out the food collected at the hundreds of collection points set up across Catalonia and at the headquarters.

As in recent editions, the food drive will be hybrid, mixing food collection with monetary donations.

The goal is to surpass the 1,500 tonnes of food collected during the 2024 edition.

Most of these products are oil, milk, and canned food.

Banc dels Aliments estimates that around 300,000 people participate in the food drive initiative, including food givers, volunteers, participating companies, schools, and institutions.

Data shows that the presence of volunteers at collection points multiplies donations, which is why it is "so important" to have as many volunteers as possible.

"At supermarkets where there are volunteers, we pick up twice as many donations as those without any volunteers," said Carme Casacuberta, president of Banc dels Aliments in Girona.