Leitrim groups benefit from AIB and FoodCloud partnership
Over 60,000 kgs of food has been redistributed to support services in Leitrim, which amounts to the equivalent of nearly 150,000 meals
Leitrim community and charity groups have benefited considerably as a result of the partnership between AIB and FoodCloud, with surplus food being redistributed through various local initiatives and support services across the county, new figures show.
The latest efforts centre around the AIB FoodCloud Community Meals Programme which is helping more local groups to turn surplus food into freshly prepared meals from rescued ingredients. Since the overall partnership started back in 2018, 61,313 kgs of food has been redistributed to support services in Leitrim, which amounts to the equivalent of 146,462 meals.
The AIB Community Meals Programme is also being supported by FoodCloud Kitchen, which helps to prepare meals for local charities and support services that may have limited cooking capacity.
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The programme has also proved to build stronger community connections, with local groups and family resource centres (FRCs) reporting that the provision of shared meals can increase the levels of engagement with their local support services.
FoodCloud’s overall impact is also reflected in its annual survey with a range of community partners including FRCs around Ireland. The latest findings show clear benefits with over three quarters (77%) of respondents reporting that they are saving money on food costs by partnering with FoodCloud.
Beyond the local and national impact, FoodCloud has also just announced a series of major milestones as it scales its food redistribution technology globally, reinforcing Ireland’s position as a hub of excellence in food rescue innovation. The Irish-founded nonprofit has redistributed the equivalent of 450 million meals of surplus food across its expanding international network, amounting to 200,000 tonnes of food.
As of last month, FoodCloud’s technology platform passed 7.5 million in virtual redistribution donations. This marks one of the most significant advances in digital food rescue systems worldwide.
FoodCloud hopes to reach a target of redistributing one billion meals by 2030 through the growth of its technology platform and by deepening its relationships with food banks and food businesses across the globe. That international expansion will come on top of the now established partnerships in Ireland, the United Kingdom and across continental Europe in countries such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia, while also supporting food banks in Kenya and more countries in Africa.