Greek food bank to visit Leket Israel to learn about gleaning program model

Boroume pairs food donors with nonprofit agencies through their website, with the food never in their possession, developing a “virtual” food bank.

By LIDAR GRAVÉ-LAZI
Homeless man 370 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
Homeless man 370
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
Leket Israel, the National Food Bank is to host the founders of Bouroume (‘We Can’), a virtual food bank in Athens, Greece for a two day visit on Tuesday.
The Greek founders are specifically interested in learning how to establish a gleaning initiative in Greece modeled after Leket Israel.
“When we were just starting out, we were looking for models around the world and Leket Israel truly impressed us with their professionalism and creative initiatives to fight hunger in Israel,” said Alex Theodoridis, Boroume Co-Founder. “We are so delighted to finally be able to experience Leket Israel’s work firsthand and to see how they run a truly successful countrywide gleaning program.”
Boroume pairs food donors with nonprofit agencies through their website, with the food never in their possession, developing a “virtual” food bank. 
Project Leket, a gleaning initiative sends thousands of volunteers and dozens of paid pickers into fields and orchards to gather produce donated or left unpicked by farmers. As part of the tour, the Greek founders will visit gleaning sites, hotel venues, soup kitchens, logistics centers and will receive full access to the Israeli model.
Gidi Kroch, Leket Israel’s CEO told The Jerusalem Post that the food gleaming program rescues over 10,000 tons of food per year and distributes it to the needy through a network of 180 nonprofit agencies with the help of over 50,000 volunteers. In addition, Leket Israel runs logistics centers in Raanana and Nesher and operates trucks delivering fresh produce from the gleaning program to the needy throughout the country.
“This is a major operation with staff, volunteers, and logistics,” said Kroch. “Israel has the knowledge for food rescue and we are willing to share this knowledge with countries and organizations around the world.”
Many food banks from around the world have sought Leket’s knowledge and expertise on how to start similar projects in their own countries, with a delegation from the UK set to visit Leket Israel in the near future.
“Leket Israel is really looking forward to hosting Boroume’s visit as we both have a lot we can learn from each other,” added Kroch.
Serving as the country's National Food Bank and largest food rescue network, Leket Israel, now celebrating its 10 years of service, works to alleviate the problem of nutritional insecurity among the growing numbers of Israel's poor. In 2013, Leket Israel rescued over one million meals and 21 million lbs of produce and perishable goods, and supplies over 1.35 million (7,800/school day) volunteer prepared sandwiches to underprivileged children.