Help the Lauterbacher Tafel: Volunteers urgently needed!

Help the Lauterbacher Tafel: Volunteers urgently needed!

In Germany, a shocking amount of 11 to 18 million tons of food is thrown away every year. The Tafel is an important answer to this problem and is committed to distributing surplus food to people in need. This also applies to the Lauterbacher Tafel, which is tirelessly active in the region and saves a variety of food from the trash can. As the Giessen General reports, the Tafel's volunteers are not only rescuers in times of need, but also an essential part of the social fabric in Lauterbach and the surrounding area.

The Tafel's mission is to collect food from supermarkets and other retailers and distribute it to those who urgently need it. The dedicated helpers travel to regional markets such as Lauterbach, Schlitz, Angersbach and Bad Salzschlirf four times a week. But a lack of personnel is causing problems for the rescuers. There are currently 60 volunteers available, but 15 support staff are needed daily to maintain operations. It is particularly Saturdays when only six of 25 drivers are available for duty.

Saving food and helping people

Like the food banks in general, the Lauterbacher Tafel also fights against food waste. Every year, food banks in Germany save an impressive 265,000 tons of food. But the challenge remains great because, in addition to time management, logistics also play a crucial role. If active supermarket employees become ill or are not available for other reasons, it can quickly happen that no food is made available for collection. In this context, the Tafel has developed a sophisticated system to check and sort the rescued food. Inedible food is disposed of in a biogas plant.

An interesting aspect of the Lauterbacher Tafel offering is the composition of the food boxes. These are packed individually according to the needs of the eligible families. The approximately 100 eligible families will receive pre-packed boxes, with 40 more on a waiting list. Proof of a basic security certificate is a prerequisite in order to be able to enjoy the food. The Tafel makes sure not to put any alcoholic drinks in the boxes.

A call to participate

In order to continue saving valuable food from the trash and helping people, the Lauterbacher Tafel is looking for new volunteers. Anyone who would like to get involved is welcome, as there are more interested parties than available food. In order to improve the situation, the umbrella organization Tafel Deutschland is calling for better framework conditions from politicians and is committed to sustainable measures along the entire value chain. A good way to combat food waste is through actions and campaigns that help raise public awareness, such as those below Chalkboard Blog can be found.

Overall, the work of the Tafel is an important social commitment that not only benefits people affected by poverty, but also makes a valuable contribution to climate protection. After all, saving food not only means saving a lot of perishable goods, but also that we can save valuable resources such as water and energy. The more people take part in this simple but important goal, the better the food bank can implement its work and help even more people in need.