Leket Israel Summary 2025
The 2025 Annual Report is a summary of Leket’s ongoing activities over the past year, alongside the emergency response efforts implemented as a result of the continued impact of the Swords of Iron War, including the intensified days of fighting with Iran during Operation Rising Lion. Your continued support enables Leket Israel to continue fulfilling its primary mission: rescuing high quality, surplus food and distributing it to those who need it most throughout Israel.
This year, while there was a certain sense of relief, Israel continued to face a shifting and complex reality marked by ongoing instability. The economic and security fallout of the war continued to affect families across the country, and the intensified escalation during Operation Rising Lion deepened this impact even further. Despite these challenges, Leket Israel continued adapting our work to fit the needs of those on the ground while expanding our ongoing activities and strengthening our partnerships with farmers, volunteers, nonprofit organizations, companies, and supporters, making our work more critical and impactful than ever.
Thank you for your continued trust and partnership. We invite you to learn more about our work and the meaningful impact we created together over the past year.
Project Leket - Agriculture
Israeli farmers are the country’s largest food donors and have been valued partners of Leket Israel since its inception. Over the past year, around 700 farmers generously donated fresh, high-quality fruit and vegetables, reaching everyone who needed them. In addition, Leket Israel expanded collaboration with packing houses across the country, making the rescue process faster, more efficient, and more cost effective. As a result, the volume of produce rescued from packing houses increased by 40%.
In total, over the past year Leket distributed 70,667,339 lbs. (32,049,000 kg) of agricultural produce to thousands of families and communities in need.
Thanking the Farmers
To thank farmers for their many years of partnership, Leket Israel launched the Derech HaLeket initiative. The project is part of the Meitivei Leket program, established in 2024 to strengthen and deepen Leket Israel’s relationship with farmers.
Over the course of a full week, we crossed the country from north to south, traveling with a food truck to agricultural hubs nationwide. We offered farmers a brief respite from the daily routine, opportunities for personal connection, and warm hospitality, including quality food, music, and a welcoming atmosphere. For Leket Israel, Derech HaLeket was another expression of our partnership with farmers, built on trust, mutual commitment, and a shared desire to rescue food and strengthen food security in Israel.
“I always say that if, because of me, even one family doesn’t have to fight over food, I’ve done my part. It’s a great privilege for me to be part of Leket Israel’s work!”
Avshalom Cohen, a farmer from northern Israel
Leket to Table - Cooked Meals
Every day, Leket Israel is on the front lines of strengthening food security, rescuing surplus prepared food donated from IDF army bases, hotels, and institutional kitchens through 20 collection lines of cooked meals based all around the country. All of this is done in accordance with strict food safety standards, to ensure that every meal delivered is both nutritious and safe. Over the past year, Leket rescued, purchased, and distributed 2,243,221 hot meals.
In addition, Leket distributed 803,160 frozen soups and stews made from rescued agricultural produce, with no preservatives. These soups and stews are primarily delivered to seniors and individuals who are unable to cook for themselves, with the dual goal of expanding the variety of healthy food available to them and extending the shelf life of the agricultural produce we receive.
At the start of winter, Leket Israel launched a dedicated campaign to support seniors in need of hot meals. Through this initiative, Leket distributed more than 250,000 hot meals to seniors across the country, for whom a warm meal is not a given. Approximately 45% of those Leket Israel supports are part of this population, making this assistance especially vital.
“Retirees don’t earn much, and with prices going up, this support helps us so much. Every week we’re able to enjoy healthy, tasty food.”
Iris and Smadar, Leket Israel Recipients
Strengthening the North:
A new hub for residents of Karmiel and the surrounding area
At the beginning of the year, Leket Israel significantly expanded our ability to reach northern Israel and support food security for residents there, with the opening of a new hub in the Tardion Industrial Zone near Karmiel, in partnership with the nonprofit organization Lihyot B’Kavod. Over the course of its first year of operation, Leket distributed 105,185 hot meals and 16,074 soups to many recipients in the north, most of them seniors living in Karmiel, Acre, and the Krayot.
Volunteers Embrace Leket with Love and Dedication
During 2025, 120,000 volunteers contributed their time and energy to Leket Israel’s work. Of these, 74,000 assisted farmers in the fields, 36,000 volunteered at Harvest Helpers, Leket Israel’s fields in Rishon Lezion and at the Logistics Center in Gan Haim, and 10,000 helped distribute food packages to seniors and Holocaust survivors. Volunteers came from across Israel and around the world, demonstrating deep solidarity and making a meaningful contribution to food rescue and strengthening local agriculture.
Volunteer Support for Farmers
Since October 7, Leket Israel has operated a dedicated volunteer support system for farmers nationwide. In 2025, 74,000 volunteers supported farmers, taking part in harvesting and helping rehabilitate fields. This assistance is a significant force in the recovery of Israeli agriculture, and Leket Israel is proud to stand alongside those who feed the country.
Leket Israel is proud to be a place that hundreds of thousands of people choose to volunteer with again and again, giving their time, effort, and heart. To better understand what makes volunteering with Leket Israel such a meaningful experience, we partnered with the Midgam Institute to conduct a survey of more than 800 volunteers. The results reflect exceptionally high satisfaction and commitment: 98% of respondents reported being satisfied with their volunteering experience, and 73% rated it as very good. The main reasons cited were a sense of purpose, the opportunity to support local farmers, and the guidance and support volunteers receive from Leket Israel’s team. In line with this, 93% said they intend to volunteer with Leket Israel again, a powerful indicator of a meaningful experience and long-term commitment.
The Shoulder-to-Shoulder program, in partnership with AMI
In 2025, Leket Israel expanded the volunteering experience through the Shoulder-to-Shoulder program, in partnership with AMI, the national initiative for connecting Israelis and Jews from around the world. The program combines hands on impact with personal connection, bringing together volunteers from Israel and across the globe for meaningful work in the field, alongside facilitated dialogue that enables deeper familiarity and reflection on the volunteering experience.
Each activity begins with an opening conversation introducing Leket Israel and the program’s goals of strengthening mutual responsibility and social solidarity. Participants then meet with farmers and representatives from the Logistics Center, learning about the purpose of the volunteering and the communities the support is intended to reach.
Throughout the day, volunteers work in small, mixed groups of Israelis and Jews from the diaspora, encouraging connection and informal conversation alongside shared activity. The day concludes with a short closing session to reflect on the experience and strengthen the relationships formed among participants.
Volunteering frameworks like this create the foundation for long term partnership with volunteers in Israel and around the world, which will continue in years to come.
“When you’re sweating alongside other people, it bonds you.
Everyone here is acting out of the same sense of purpose, love of the land, and
love for the State of Israel.”
One program participant
Significant Support of Vulnerable Populations
Following the ongoing impact of the war and the rising cost of living, over the past year there was an approximately 13% increase in the number of individuals Leket Israel supports. Today, Leket Israel provides assistance to around 470,000 people every week, delivering fresh, healthy food to those who need it most, including seniors, Holocaust survivors, at risk children and youth, and families facing hardship.
Leket Express
Since August 2023, Leket Israel has operated the Leket Express initiative, designed to bring nutritious, healthy agricultural produce to communities living far from distribution centers and nonprofit partner agencies. Supported by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and implemented in collaboration with local municipalities, the initiative enables Leket Israel to reach neighborhoods with low to middle socioeconomic status directly and provide residents with accessible nutritional support.
The Leket Express truck comes to the center of each neighborhood once a week, where staff and volunteers distribute a wide variety of agricultural produce. In 2025, approximately 3.3 million lbs (1.5 million kg) of produce were distributed across 10 local authorities nationwide: Netanya, Hadera, Ashkelon, Rishon Lezion, Dimona, Elad, Harish, Mevaseret Zion, as well as Kiryat Shmona and Be’er Sheva, where the program expanded this year. In 2026, the initiative is expected to continue growing with the opening of four additional distribution points.
“Since the Leket Express truck started coming to our neighborhood, we’ve had regular access to fruit and vegetables we can’t always afford. After the difficult period we went through here following the war, including damage to property and businesses in the city, this support is extremely meaningful to us, especially with prices continuing to rise.”
David, a resident of Kiryat Shmona
Leket B'Dvash - High Holiday Projects
During the High Holidays, Leket Israel launched the Leket B’Dvash initiative, with the goal of ensuring that supported families received nutritional assistance tailored to the holiday season.
The initiative was carried out through broad collaboration with 214 partner nonprofit organizations, 8 Leket Express distribution points, and 7 schools participating in Leket Briut – Nutrition Education, with a special focus on people who are unable to cook or shop for themselves.
With the help of many volunteers and Leket Israel staff, food baskets reached more than 64,000 families across the country. These baskets included fresh agricultural produce associated with Rosh Hashanah, alongside hot, cooked meals that were vacuum packed using a unique technology that does not require refrigeration.
Healthy Nutrition for At Risk Populations
Healthy nutrition is a guiding principle across all of Leket Israel’s activities. Over the past year, certified clinical dietitians led 401 nutrition workshop sessions for communities from low socioeconomic backgrounds, including mothers in crisis, single parent families, large families, seniors, and individuals coping with mental health challenges. These workshops aim to promote healthier lifestyles and improve health outcomes across the different communities.
Towards the end of the year, Leket Israel launched new nutrition workshops designed for new mothers. The workshops aim to provide new mothers from vulnerable communities with practical guidance on infant and child nutrition, food safety, allergies, and establishing healthy eating habits from an early age.
Leket Briut – Nutrition Education for a healthy future
Established in 2022, the Leket Briut – Nutrition Education program was created to improve dietary habits and quality of life for communities from low socioeconomic backgrounds by increasing access to healthy food in schools and at home. The program combines educational activities with meaningful nutritional support, helping families access quality, healthy food that would otherwise be out of reach.
Today, Leket Briut – Nutrition Education operates in 10 schools across Israel and supports around 2,000 families. Each year, Leket Israel works to expand the program in order to reach additional families and promote healthy nutrition in more communities nationwide.
The program creates a dual impact: long-term nutrition education alongside practical support for families who need it, with the goal of driving real change in their eating habits. It offers engaging, experiential educational content for students, encouraging fruit and vegetables as part of daily life. At the same time, it provides fresh fruit and vegetable packages, collected from surplus agricultural produce and distributed to families every two weeks.
In a survey conducted among 532 program participants, Leket Israel examined the program’s impact on students’ fruit and vegetable consumption patterns. All participants reported an overall improvement in consumption habits, as well as stronger connections between families and schools. More than 80% of families reported using all the produce they received, and around 40% of students increased their daily intake of fruit and vegetables. In addition, approximately 20% reported that their children are now willing to try fruit and vegetables that are less familiar to them.
“My daughter is suddenly eating healthier. Fruit and vegetables she used to refuse to even touch are now part of her daily routine. The program creates connection within the family, and between the children, parents, and the school. It feels like one big family, united around values of health, giving, and caring.”
Oleg, parent of a student participating in the program
Operation Rising Lion
With the outbreak of Operation Rising Lion in June 2025, Leket Israel once again shifted into emergency mode. In close coordination with government, military, and community partners, Leket Israel mobilized
infrastructure, staff, and partners to operate at scale and respond to needs as they emerged on the ground. Even despite a complex security reality, Leket worked to ensure that fresh, healthy food reached everyone who needed it.
During the operation, in partnership with 196 nonprofit organizations nationwide, Leket Israel distributed 1,464 tons of agricultural produce and 68,617 hot meals that were rescued and purchased, reaching more than 70 cities and communities. In addition, 20,568 pints of hot soups and stews were distributed, and 6 temporary storage hubs were established to hold ready to distribute meals for rapid deployment.
In response to specific needs on the ground, Leket Israel also assisted in distributing bottled water in the city of Tamra following damage to local water infrastructure. At the same time, we reinstituted fruit and vegetable stands in hotels housing evacuees, ensuring access to fresh, healthy food as an alternative to processed options. In addition, in partnership with 12 local municipalities, Leket Israel ran a series of Zoom workshops titled Nutrition as Resilience, focusing on eating habits during periods of stress, uncertainty, and disrupted routine.
Alongside the emergency response, Leket continued providing food to students and schools through Leket Briut – Nutrition Education, even during periods when regular educational programming was not taking place and expanded Leket Express to additional cities that required immediate support. In line with the security situation, we shifted to distributing sealed fruit and vegetable packages rather than loose produce, enabling a safe, organized, and efficient distribution process.
This work was made possible by the professionalism, flexibility, and commitment of Leket Israel’s staff, who, driven by a deep sense of purpose, continued coming to work even during active fighting to sort, pack, and deliver food to everyone who needed it.
“Even during war and difficult situations, it’s important to step up and help distribute food to anyone who needs it. We’re grateful that Leket Israel continues to ensure a supply of fresh agricultural produce that supports all residents of the region.”
Guy Haimov, Gishrei Ya, Leket Israel NPO Partner
10th Annual Food Waste and Rescue Report
This year, Leket Israel published the 10th Annual Food Waste and Rescue Report, produced in partnership with BDO, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and the Ministry of Health. The Report presents a comprehensive and up to date picture of the scope of food waste in Israel, the potential for food rescue, and its economic, social, health, and environmental impacts.
The Report’s findings highlight the vast scale of food waste in Israel. Over the past decade, food worth $57 billion (NIS 211 billion) has been discarded. In 2024 alone, 2.6 million tons of food were wasted, with a total value of $7 billion (NIS 26.2 billion), representing 39% of all food produced in Israel. At the same time, around 1.5 million residents live with food insecurity, and approximately half of the food that was wasted was still fit for consumption and could have reached hundreds of thousands of families in need.
Food waste has far reaching consequences beyond the economic sphere. The annual health cost associated with food insecurity is estimated at $1.57 billion (NIS 5.8 billion), while the environmental cost of food waste reaches $1.14 billion (NIS 4.2 billion per year.
Alongside these stark figures, the Report points to a clear and practical solution: food rescue. Food rescue is an immediate, cost effective, and sustainable solution, with every shekel invested generating NIS 10.7 in value for the national economy.
Over the past decade, together with many partners, Leket Israel has helped lead a significant shift in public awareness and policy. This includes amendments to the Food Donation Act, integrating food rescue into government programs, establishing measurement principles, and anchoring official policy documents in the data and insights presented in the Report.
Strategic Corporate Partnerships
Strategic Corporate Partnerships are central to Leket Israel’s ability to expand food rescue and strengthen support for communities in need across the country. Over the past year, 788 companies partnered with Leket Israel, and more than 5,500 employees from the business sector volunteered with us.
This year, Leket Israel hosted two dedicated events for key corporate contacts, designed to introduce our work to a professional audience and lay the groundwork for future collaboration. The events featured talks by leading media figures Adva Dadon and Keren Marciano, and the strong response underscored their impact, with many participants expressing a desire to deepen their relationship with Leket Israel going forward.
At the same time, Leket Israel continued building on long term collaborations with retail partners. Ahead of Passover and Rosh Hashanah, customers of the Noy HaSadeh retail chain were able to donate boxes of fresh agricultural produce through the company’s online platform. These boxes were then distributed to supported families across Israel. In addition, Leket Israel partnered with Shufersal on a checkout line campaign, through which customers in stores and online donated NIS 10 toward hot meals for families in need. Donations were delivered through vouchers distributed to supported families, as well as to reserve duty families who faced hardship as a result of the situation.
Another meaningful collaboration took place with the Shestovitz Group, which donated NIS 1 to Leket Israel for every purchase of two Colgate or Palmolive products at Super-Pharm.
Over the past year, Leket Israel also continued working with Igul Letova – Round Up for Leket, through the Poalim Wonder benefits app. Thousands of Bank Hapoalim customers redeemed 25 points to provide a box of rescued Israeli agricultural produce valued at NIS 100, which reached families in need across the country.
Leket Israel remains focused on expanding Strategic Corporate Partnerships, guided by the belief that when companies choose to stand with us, they can help drive real and lasting change.
“Our volunteering experience with Leket Israel was deeply meaningful for us and for our employees. The activity truly warmed our hearts, the employees enjoyed it, and they returned with a tremendous sense of fulfillment. Please continue your important work. We would be happy to continue collaborating in the future.”
Hani Rafaelovitch, Human Resource Manager, Resident
Seventh Annual Leket Live Mission
In October, Leket Israel was pleased to host the seventh Leket Live delegation in Israel, bringing together donors from Israel and around the world, representatives of partner Federations, members of the Board of Directors, and senior leadership.
Over two intensive days, participants were introduced to Leket Israel’s work in both the north and the south, meeting farmers, volunteers, partner nonprofit leaders, and support recipients. Through these encounters, they saw firsthand how Leket Israel continues to operate and respond, even during the most complex periods. Partners on the ground repeatedly emphasized how vital Leket Israel’s support has been to sustain their work, financially, through volunteer mobilization, and through ongoing partnership and guidance.
One of the delegation’s most powerful moments was meeting was meeting with Hila, a farmer in Netiv Ha’asara. She described the devastation her moshav endured, situated closer to the Gaza border than any other community. After everything that happened, she struggled to return to her fields, but Leket Israel reached out and sent volunteers to help keep her farm running. As a gesture of thanks, the first crop she planted upon returning was an entire field of zucchini dedicated to Leket Israel.
“I’ve supported Leket Israel for years, but seeing the scale of the work, from the fields to food distribution, was truly moving and eye opening. I didn’t realize just how wide reaching and impactful your work is.”
A delegation participant
As 2026 begins, we look ahead with optimism. Guided by our shared values and strengthened by your meaningful partnership, Leket Israel will continue to serve as a bridge between abundance and need, providing food, security, and hope to hundreds of thousands of families across Israel.
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