Currently, over 37,000 Ukrainian war refugees have registered in Lithuania. Maisto bankas, FEBA Lithuanian member, helps them all by providing food.
Due to the urgency and the extraordinary situation, Maisto bankas decided to distribute food cards worth each 115 euros to Ukrainians refugees. In this way they can shop for food in stores by themselves. Already more than 25,000 cards worth 2,875,000 euros were distributed in all Lithuanian cities. Maisto bankas was able to buy the cards thanks to individual donations and to the support of the state.
Maisto bankas also provides food aid directly to Ukraine, in cooperation with the Ukrainian ministries and the Ukrainian Embassy in Lithuania. 21 trucks of products including water, groats, flour, canned meat, cheese, butter, condensed milk, sweets, etc. have already crossed the Ukrainian border to warehouses in Odessa and L’viv regions.
Last but not least, Maisto bankas organised their annual food collection at the end of March. They collected 360,000 units of food, which is 100,000 more than last year! This food will be redistributed to deprived people in Lithuania, including Ukrainian refugees.
Note from Jacques Vandenschrik, President of FEBA: “Food cards are not the preferred way for Food Banks to distribute food as our aim is to prevent food waste. However, we can understand that the urgency and the opportunity have induced Maisto bankas to provide such help”.
