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Description
The aim of the project is to engage local communities from the Warmia and Mazury region in activities aimed at reducing food waste by utilising left over food for social purposes. We will form an alliance of three regional Food Banks operating in three municipalities in Warmia and Mazury: Olsztyn, Pisz and Elbląg, and implement actions that strengthen social participation in the above-mentioned municipalities. We will engage residents in the process of preventing food waste through social redistribution of food surpluses that cannot be sold (e.g. due to a short shelf life). We will establish 3 local consultative councils that will deal with prevention of food waste. We will initiate the development of a regional strategy for counteracting food waste that will include a range of activities aimed at reducing the scale of the phenomenon in the region. The project will result in the development of proposals for local municipal budgets and the implementation of 6 social ecological initiatives, in cooperation with local communities, youth, NGOs and other local entities that are interested in counteracting food waste.
Summary of project results
The project responded to the growing environmental and social challenges related to food waste and food surpluses that could be used for social purposes. Another problem was low public awareness of conscious eating and the effects of wasting food. Moreover, there was a lack of uniform standards and effective cooperation between organizations dealing with these issues. The project solved the problem of food waste, which has serious ecological, economic and social consequences, and the challenge related to difficulties in using food surpluses for aid purposes. It also contributed to reducing the level of malnutrition among people in need and increasing the awareness of local communities about the effects of food waste and ways to counteract this phenomenon. Thanks to the implementation of the project, the activities of organizations dealing with counteracting food waste were integrated, in particular Food Banks in the Warmian-Masurian region, by unifying their operating standards, professionalizing their staff and establishing cooperation with local partners, including local governments, entrepreneurs and non-governmental organizations. The project also responded to the need to introduce innovative educational and infrastructure solutions, such as community fridges, zero waste workshops and cooking competitions, engaging local communities in activities to combat food waste. As a result, the scale of food waste in the region was reduced, access to food aid for people in need was increased and public awareness was raised, which created the basis for a more sustainable and responsible approach to resource management.
As part of the project, a number of activities for society were carried out, focusing on education, activation and building ecological and social awareness. Community refrigerators were created as a sustainable solution to support the redistribution of surplus food to those in need. Consultative councils have been established, involving representatives of local communities in activities to reduce food waste and support sustainable development A guide has been developed describing the operating standards of Food Banks, including detailed processes and principles of operation in the area of food redistribution, logistics, cooperation with donors and promotion. 112 hours of training were organized for BŻ staff and partners, which allowed for the improvement of competences in the field of management, obtaining food and implementing aid actions. 6 study visits were carried out to BŻ in other regions of Poland (Tricity, Piła, Poznań), which enabled the exchange of knowledge and learning best practices. Educational campaigns were carried out, such as zero waste workshops, cooking competitions and cultural and educational events. Socially accessible refrigerators were created in Olsztyn, enabling food sharing. Residents were involved in cleaning as part of World Earth Day. Networking and partnerships: Social meetings were organized in which representatives of 100 organizations, institutions and businesses participated. Three consultative councils were established, bringing together various organizations and residents. Three fundraising campaigns were carried out with a total reach of 150,581 recipients, which disseminated knowledge about the problem of food waste and engaged local communities. Local strategies: Three proposals for citizen budgets and a provincial strategy to combat food waste were developed.
The project contributed to achieving significant results that had a significant impact on organizations dealing with food waste prevention and on local communities in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. As part of the project, a uniform standard for managing Food Banks (Food Banks) was developed, which allowed for the unification of operational processes and improvement of the effectiveness of aid activities. Cooperation with the business sector, local governments and volunteers was strengthened, which significantly increased the organization''s potential. Moreover, the creation of three consultative councils and the organization of meetings with the participation of 100 organizations, institutions and companies strengthened partnerships and promoted the exchange of good practices. The fundraising campaigns carried out reached 150,581 people, and educational activities, such as zero waste workshops and Earth clean-up campaigns, significantly increased public awareness of the problem of food waste and its ecological, economic and social consequences. Local initiatives, including the creation of a community fridge in Olsztyn and the organization of culinary competitions and educational events, involved residents in activities for sustainable development. The increased efficiency of Food Banks and their partners translated into increased food redistribution, which directly improved the situation of people in difficult life situations. The project also contributed to the development of social infrastructure, including the implementation of durable solutions, such as community refrigerators, which are places for sharing food and supporting people in need. The beneficiaries of the project were Food Banks and their partners, which gained from strengthening their competences and cooperation networks. The project created solid foundations for the further development of an integrated food waste prevention system, contributing to improving the quality of life, increasing social responsibility and supporting sustainable development in the region.