The Global FoodBanking Network

Food is never waste! ?? While avoiding surplus food altogether is preferable, there are so many great opportunities to make sure that inevitable surplus food makes it to our plates instead of going to waste. The recently updated hierarchy of food loss and waste outlines the best options for people and planet, starting with donating and redistributing surplus food through organizations like food banks. #ZeroWaste #ZeroWasteDay

?Qué hermosa semana acabo de vivir! Hubo muchas sonrisas, reencuentros de amigos(as), intercambio de saludos e ideas, mucha inspiración, y mucho aprendizaje en nuestro Encuentro Regional de Bancos de Alimentos de América Latina de The Global FoodBanking Network, llevado a cabo en la hermosa ciudad de Medellín, Colombia, hecho posible con el apoyo y profesionalismo de nuestro miembro y anfitrión local ABACO - Asociación de Bancos de Alimentos de Colombia (y mil gracias también a sus 2 Bancos de Alimentos anfitriones Fundación SACIAR, Banco de Alimentos y Fundación Banco Arquidiocesano de Alimentos de Medellín). Fue sin duda una semana inolvidable y especial, pues imagínense que los Bancos de Alimentos de 17 países de toda Latinoamérica nos reunimos en un mismo lugar y tiempo. Compartimos mejores prácticas, retos, sue?os y proyectos para seguir generando más impacto y alcance en el futuro y seguir apoyando a las comunidades que más lo necesitan. Colegas tan apasionados(as) de la causa de la seguridad alimentaria y el combate a las pérdidas y desperdicios de alimentos nos reunimos para planear, so?ar y tomar acción con nuevas iniciativas. También tuvimos encuentros y pláticas con aliados estratégicos y donantes clave en esta causa que hacen posible la operación de los Bancos de Alimentos. América Latina es una región con mucha experiencia y con más de 30 a?os operando el modelo de bancos de alimentos y se sigue expandiendo y fortaleciendo en más rincones de nuestra región donde se necesita apoyar a más comunidades y rescatar más alimentos en toda la cadena de valor. Como ejemplo, en 2023, esta región representó hasta el 44% de todo el alimento que se rescató en la Red de GFN. Termino este Encuentro Regional con mi corazón lleno de energía, mi alma llena de inspiración y mi mente feliz en demasía para seguir dando lo mejor por y para la causa de los bancos de alimentos. #WeAreGFN

Take a peek into last week’s GFN LatAm Regional Conference that brought together 72 food bankers from 16 countries! #WeAreGFN #LatAmFoodBanks

Con mucho éxito y positivos resultados desde The Global FoodBanking Network llevamos a cabo el Encuentro Regional de Bancos de Alimentos de América Latina 2025 en Medellín, Colombia, en colaboración con ABACO - Asociación de Bancos de Alimentos de Colombia. 72 banqueros de alimentos de 16 países de la región, 12 banqueros de alimentos de GFN juntos durante 4 días de actividades que incluyeron 15 sesiones de trabajo (páneles, conferencia, conversatorio y grupos de discusión), visitas a los 2 bancos de alimentos locales, Fundación SACIAR, Banco de Alimentos y Fundación Banco Arquidiocesano de Alimentos de Medellín y 2 recepciones. El intercambio de conocimiento, adquisición de nuevos aprendizajes, el compartir de buenas prácticas, el estrechar de lazos de amistad y hermandad promovió la inspiración, motivación y el sentido de pertenencia a nuestra visión de un mundo sin hambre. Bríos renovados y amor más grande por la causa de los bancos de alimentos a favor de las persnas y el planeta. ?GRACIAS DE CORAZóN por su participación y por el gran trabajo que realizan, queridos banqueros! Bancos de Alimentos ARGENTINA, Sesc - Departamento Nacional, Banco de Alimentos Bolivia, ABACO - Asociación de Bancos de Alimentos de Colombia, Banco de Alimentos de Costa Rica, Banco de Alimentos de El Salvador, Banco de alimentos de Guatemala, Banco de Alimentos de Honduras, Red BAMX, Banco de Alimentos Perú, Banco de Alimentos de República Dominicana, Fundación Banco de Alimentos Uruguay, Red de Alimentos, Banco de Alimentos Quito (Oficial), Banco de Alimentos Diakonia, DESARROLLO EN MOVIMIENTO, Banco de Alimentos Panamá y Banco de Alimentos Paraguay. ?GRACIAS A NUESTROS GRANDES ANFITRIONES DE ABACO! su pasión es inspiradora. ?GRACIAS EQUIPAZO GFN! ...lo logramos

Since GFN’s founding in 2006, Kellanova has invested more than $6 million in GFN and member food banks that are helping to fill the gaps in food security in communities worldwide through food assistance and dedicated child hunger programs. On our blog, we discussed the longstanding partnership with GFN with Kellanova Chief Philanthropy Officer Stephanie Slingerland. ?? https://bit.ly/4htn84K

A huge thank you to Feeding Hong Kong for hosting our team from The Global FoodBanking Network last week! It was inspiring to see firsthand the incredible work they have done in rescuing surplus food and ensuring it reaches those who need it most since 2011. One standout initiative is their Airport Program to recover 6,000 kg of surplus food and beverages from the airport every week - a remarkable effort that not only reduces food wastage but also supports their long-term community partners in alleviating the cost of living pressures among residents. Their "United Nations" of fruit juices coming in from flights around the world was also great fun for the Warehouse Workout volunteers to sort out. These creative partnerships and dedication to the community are what make food banks a crucial part of local food systems. Thank you, Feeding Hong Kong, for leading the way and sharing your best practices.

Visiting Feeding Hong Kong and meeting the incredible team last week was truly inspiring and unforgettable. As the first certified food bank member in the Asia-Pacific region, Feeding Hong Kong has been serving communities in need since 2011. Thank you for the warm welcome and for sharing your meaningful work with us at The Global FoodBanking Network. The team’s professionalism, expertise, and dedication are truly commendable. As part of the Food Systems Partnerships work, I was fascinated to learn about Feeding Hong Kong’s unique food programs that strategically align with different types of donors. For example, the Airport Food Rescue program, in which Feeding Hong Kong collaborates with airlines to recover at least six tons of surplus beverages and food items from flights. Similarly, the Bread Run program enables volunteers to connect through an online platform to identify bakery shops with surplus bread, allowing them to pick up and deliver these items directly to designated charity partners! A special thank you to Thomas Egloff, the Food Sourcing Director at Feeding Hong Kong, for the opportunity to visit some of the organization’s long-standing and dedicated food donors. I am deeply grateful to these donors for their continued support. Together, we can help more people access nutritious food and improve their livelihoods. It was my pleasure to meet: - Eira Jarvis?and?Meghan Sherrill?from?Pret A Manger,?your support for Feeding Hong Kong since 2009, when it started as a volunteer initiative, is truly impressive. - Vicky Tong and Maggie Poon from Bakehouse by Grégoire Michaud, I admire how you have integrated Feeding Hong Kong into your business journey from day one, reducing food waste while creating social impact. - Liliane from Classic Fine Foods Group, your product donations have made a meaningful difference for many families. - Kenneth Ka Ho Law from the Vegetable Marketing Organization, it’s inspiring to see how your wholesale market not only supports local farmers but also provides fresh vegetable donations to the food bank. - Matthew Lau from Woolworths Group Asia, your commitment to employee engagement with food banks in the region is fostering a more inclusive society and driving long-term impact. Thank you again to the leaders of Feeding Hong Kong Gabrielle Kirstein OBE, Sandra Lim, and the entire team and all dedicated supporters for your incredible work in the fight against hunger. I look forward to continuing our collaboration and supporting your impactful work.

For the rest of 2025, we'll be joining conversations and conferences around the world to make progress on food systems and climate action! Catch us at the upcoming events and give us a shout if you're coming too. ??

?? New report! Investing in efforts to reduce food waste — and the food banks that lead them — can yield substantial economic, social, and environmental benefits, which is why it has rapidly emerged as a climate finance strategy. Our new paper with EnergyLab and Global Methane Hub, "Carbon Markets and Financing Mechanisms for Food Banking Organizations" takes a deep dive into the mechanisms, opportunities, and considerations: https://bit.ly/3QO5ei3

This week, we're doing what we do best — creating connections between food bankers to share knowledge, challenges and ideas! Together with GFN member ABACO - Asociación de Bancos de Alimentos de Colombia, we're thrilled to host the LatAm Regional Food Bank Conference in Medellin, Colombia, to see their incredible work in action — especially its agricultural recovery programs. Thank you to our conference sponsor, H-E-B, for making this special week possible! #WeAreGFN #LatAmFoodBanks #HEBHungerRelief