Celebrating World Food Day, agricultural minister visits Leket's newest facility

After receiving a tour of the 21,500-square-foot Ra'anana based facility, Uri Ariel praised the non-profit organization and its 58,000 annual volunteers.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: OCTOBER 17, 2015 03:29
Food [illustrative] (photo credit: REUTERS)
Food [illustrative]
(photo credit: REUTERS)
In honor of World Food Day Thursday, Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel paid a visit to Leket Israel's new state-of-the-art food collection and redistribution logistical center, lauding the country’s largest food-rescue organization in its effort to combat hunger.
After receiving a tour of the 21,500-square-foot Ra'anana based facility, Ariel praised the non-profit organization and its 58,000 annual volunteers which sort's and distributes millions of pounds of food, aiding a "quarter of the country’s population that lives below the poverty line."
Ariel has stated that one of his policy goals while in office would be to make "produce destruction obsolete," adding that he hopes to spearhead legislation similar to the US where "surplus produce will be bought by the government and then donated to food banks," benefiting the hungry.
"We are delighted to call Minister Ariel a partner in this important mission" Leket Israel's Chairmen Joseph Gitler said in a statement.
Gitler added that "Minister Ariel strongly supports the transfer of fresh surplus produce to Leket Israel for redistribution to those in need rather than its destruction.”
Leket Israel-The National Food Bank is the leading food rescue non-profit organization in the nation, rescuing perishable foods from farms, hotels, military bases and catering halls that would otherwise go to waste.
With one-third of food that is grown around the world not being consumed and the large number of people who desperately need food, Leket encourages everyone to make sure they do their part by donating surplus food from events, contacting Leket to rescue fruit from private gardens, and asking caterers if they work with a food-rescue organization before booking their services.
Hayah Goldlist-Eichler contributed to this article


Related Tags
uri ariel