The paradox of nutritional insecurity in the face of large scale food wastage led in 2003 to the establishment of Leket Israel.  Today, serving as the country’s largest food bank and food rescue network, Leket Israel’s primary mission is to alleviate the problem of nutritional insecurity through the rescue and redistribution of excess food to benefit Israel’s needy.  As an umbrella organization, Leket Israel also work’s to assist at-risk population groups and the nonprofit organizations (NPOs) who serve them through nutrition education, capacity building, and food safety projects designed to improve professional standards among NPOs and other food provision agencies.

Each year, with the help of 45,000 volunteers and dozens of paid workers, Leket Israel rescues over 770,000 hot meals, 110,000 loaves of bread and over 18 million lbs of produce and perishable goods, for the benefit of the needy.  In addition, Leket Israel supplies over 1.35 million (7,600/day) volunteer prepared sandwiches to underprivileged children from 113 schools in over 30 cities.  Food is reclaimed from hundreds of food suppliers and is then redistributed to 190 partner NPOs assisting the poor, invalid-elderly, minorities,children, and at-risk population groups throughout Israel.

– See more at: http://leket.org.il/english/text/316.aspx#sthash.x1tckI3l.dpuf