Dubai, UAE, 31 March 2023:  The UAE Food Bank has distributed more than 50 million meals since its establishment in January 2017, said Dawoud Al Hajri, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the bank.

“In addition to that the Food Bank has signed 161 MoUs, which are partnerships and agreements with government and private institutions to donate food continuously, and 13 partnership agreements with charities. Until the end of last year, the Food Bank has organized 268 activities that included campaigns, workshops, and awareness programs, since its launch,” explained Al Hajri.

He added that the bank follows the directives of the wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Supreme Chairperson of the UAE Food Bank, in planning and implementing humanitarian initiatives, within the framework of an integrated system that ensures the provision and delivery of food to those who deserve it during the blessed month of Ramadan. 

“The Food Bank is keen, through its activities and initiatives, to embody the UAE’s values of humanity, goodness and giving, and to spread and consolidate these values globally, through its mission to plan and ensure the management of surplus food and its delivery to the beneficiaries, locally and globally, reduce its wastage and achieve its vision of being a world-leading sustainable food bank,” added Al Hajri.

The UAE Food Bank is a non-profit charitable organization that was launched on 4th January 2017, under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives. It is committed to distributing foodstuffs to the needy, whether they are surplus or donated, in cooperation with local and international institutions. 
It is the first food bank in the UAE, and Dubai Municipality supervises and ensures food safety by monitoring the standards used by the UAE Food Bank in all steps of receiving, transporting, storing and distributing food. The Municipality also supervises the management and operation of the Food Bank.

The UAE Food Bank aims to distribute edible food to the largest number of beneficiaries inside and outside the country through its initiatives and participation, and to join the global fight against poverty and hunger, in addition to introducing the importance of reducing food surplus, creating a consumer culture, and activating social responsibility and volunteer work. The bank carries out several tasks like signing partnerships and agreements, managing food and financial donations, and educating the community.

It has participated in many events, including the Gulfood Exhibition, the Holy Month of Ramadan Initiatives, voluntary initiatives, humanitarian aid in cases of natural disasters, Eid Al Adha and Eid Al Fitr initiatives, participation in local and international conferences and voluntary initiatives.
The UAE Food Bank has also participated in the 10 million meals campaign and provided 2.8 million meals, and in the 100 million meals campaign it provided 10 million meals. It has also participated in the one billion meals campaign and provided 2.5 million meals.

The bank has six branches in the UAE in Al Quoz, Muhaisnah, Jebel Ali, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain. 
Within the framework of partnership with the private sector, the bank will strengthen its cooperation with recycling companies, which will in turn, recycle food that is not suitable for human consumption in case of damage, and convert it into oils and agricultural fertilizers, with the aim of preserving the environment and sustainability, in line with the declaration of 2023 by the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as the year of sustainability.

The UAE Food Bank operates through several axes, within an integrated system that guarantees the cooperation and participation of all stakeholders, including donors, regulatory bodies, humanitarian and volunteer associations, and coordinating bodies, to ensure that the bank performs its mission in accordance with the highest levels of efficiency. This system includes the conclusion of agreements and partnerships with the concerned authorities in the hospitality sector and the food industry in the country such as restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, food factories, farms, caterers and suppliers. The system also includes distributing meals to target groups inside and outside the country, in coordination with a network of local and international humanitarian and charitable institutions.