43,815,200 lbs.
(19,916,000 kg) of Food Provided
246,000
People Fed Weekly
330
Nonprofit Partners
105
Employees
66,000 sq ft
Size of New Logistics Center
$21.6 million
Expenses
$53.8 million
Food Value
Leket Delivered Solutions
Housebound Recipients
In mid-March, when the stay-at-home order was put into effect, Leket understood that people still needed to eat. Since Leket meal recipients were not permitted to leave their homes to receive their meals at soup kitchens or distribution centers, Leket staff and volunteers began providing door-to-door delivery to the housebound. Rather than delivering meals every day, Leket staff provided each person with a package containing 6-8 meals that could be refrigerated and heated up as needed. Before the pandemic started, approximately 9,000 people were reliant upon daily cooked meals from Leket; at the height of the crisis, Leket was supplying meals to over 13,000 people.
Food Sources Dried Up
In mid-March, as the country shut down and employees were instructed to work from home, the reservoir of surplus cooked food that Leket Israel had been rescuing for over 17 years from hotels, caterers, and corporate cafeterias dried up. In a dramatic departure from normal operations, Leket began partnering with caterers and started a meal purchase program. Through the relationships formed via the Leket Nonprofit and Nutrition and Food Safety Departments, Leket collaborated with catering companies around Israel to cook meals specifically for distribution to Israelis in need. The Leket Israel Food Safety Coordinators worked with the caterers to ensure that the food was cooked and packaged safely and that it would stay fresh in the refrigerator for several days. As an added benefit, the caterers were able to bring their workers back from furlough to help cook the meals.
Providing Nutrition Education Workshops During the Lockdowns
Nutrition continues to be a major tenet of Leket’s mission, more so at a time when eating healthy may not be a priority. Leket understood the necessity for continuing its nutrition education workshops in spite of the lockdown. Therefore, the Nutrition and Food Safety Department migrated its in-person sessions to virtual ones, ensuring that people in need would receive the proper tools for healthy eating. Since July, Leket has provided 12 four-part workshops to at-risk mothers, the elderly, at-risk parents and more, through Leket’s NPO partners, local municipalities, and social welfare programs.
Lack of Government Support
Receiving governmental support has been an ongoing challenge for Leket. However, throughout the Coronavirus crisis, a number of government officials have visited the Leket Israel Logistics Center and met with senior Leket management to discuss opportunities for governmental cooperation. The high-profile visitors included the President of Israel Reuven Rivlin; Knesset Member Naftali Bennett; and most recently, the Minister of Environmental Protection Gila Gamliel.
Produce Surplus Due to Hotel and Restaurant Closures
With an unexpected increase in produce donations due to decreased ordering from hotels and other large caterers, Leket was challenged to find a way to efficiently redistribute this surplus food. Although many nonprofits were forced to shut down their operations at that time, Leket continued to support those that remained open and established new partnerships with other organizations that were providing services. Leket distributed fresh produce to new distribution centers set up in municipalities; this food was then delivered directly to people’s homes by local volunteers. Through these new partnerships, Leket was able to supply meals to people in over 30 cities.
Major Increase in Food Assistance Recipients
According to estimates from BDO, a consulting company, an additional 145,000 people will become food insecure as a result of the Coronavirus crisis. Serving as an umbrella organization, Leket Israel rarely receives direct calls for assistance from people in need. However, since the outbreak began, Leket has been getting as many as 50 inquiries per day from people who don’t know where to turn. Thanks to Leket’s strong partnerships with its 200+ nonprofit partners, every appeal is handled respectfully and efficiently, ensuring that everyone in need will receive food.
Insufficient Number of Vehicles for Transporting Produce
Leket was struggling to collect and deliver the increased amount of produce. Thanks to the IDF and companies who donated the use of their trucks, such as McDonalds and Coca-Cola, Leket did not have to turn down these additional and important donations.
Significant and Immediate Decrease in Volunteers Due to Quarantine Regulations
When the stay-at-home policy began in March, Leket was forced to close its doors to all volunteers at the Logistics Center. To accommodate the influx of produce, Leket staff from every department lent a hand and assisted in packaging over 500 parcels for daily distribution.
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8 Responses
כל הכבוד
Keep up the good work.
I was wondering. Some years ago on one of our trips to Israel we actually got a chance to go into the fields and pick vegetables. Do you still do that program?
We now have children (and grand and greatgrand children) living in Ra’Annanna and but for the pandemic we would be there too, visiting. So we are always looking for things to do.
Elaine and Harold Kellner
God bless and hope for better year
I AM ALWAYS IMPRESSED BY YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE NEEDY,AS WELL AS BY THE MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO DO THE SHLEPPING AND DELIVERING-KOL HAKAVOD AND CHAZAK UBARUCH!!
Essential amazing work!
So happy that the people in Israel are getting help they really needed. Praise our Sovereign God for his guiding hand. Amen.
I am impressed with the way you keep pressing on to give the needy daily food. With God’s help and leading you found the ways and means to deliver meals to the people. May God richly bless you, as you continue doing what God would have you do. I would like to be able to help in the packing and distributing of the produce and meals. But alas all I can do is support you financially and in prayer. For me it is very exciting and rewarding to read about all the different departments lending a hand and working together. I am sure the smiles and looks on the faces of those receiving the food packages were priceless. Keep trucking for the Lord!
Fantastic work. How about using volunteers after they have been fully vaccinated?
You are providing a wonderful and needed service. I will continue to be supportive and proud to do so!