Food for All Covid-19 Community Emergency Intervention Program Launched

Food for All Africa on Sunday 22^nd March, 2020 launched its Community Emergency Preparedness and Response initiative in Ghana. Food4All COVID-19 Community Emergency Intervention program is an intervention initiative by Food for All Africa in partnership with Food and Beverage Association of Ghana, Ghana Food Movement and with support from the Global Food Banking Network to ensure continuous food mobilization and support to vulnerable beneficiaries who are adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic across Ghana.

A communiqué signed by the Executive Director, Mr. Elijah Addo explained, the initiative is to compliment and ensure sustainability for the regular food recovery and redistribution process of Food for All Africa, as the biggest and the only food banking organization in Ghana.The initiative would be implemented in two parts and would run from 22^nd March till 15^th June, 2020.

FOOD BOX DISTRIBUTION

Food for All Africa together with volunteers and partners would sort recovered food products and package in food boxes which would be distributed once a week to vulnerable beneficiaries within Greater Accra,Central, Eastern and Volta regions. The food boxes would contain rice, oil, gari, beans, pasta, canned products, smoked fish, sweets and BossBaker products.

100 Food Boxes enough to feed families made up of 2-5 members for two weeks to a month would be distributed on Saturdays.

KITCHEN FOR THE NEEDY

Food for All Africa with support from GFN and Chefs with Purpose is setting up an innovative cost effective community kitchen where twice a week usually Wednesdays and Sundays, hot meals would be prepared, packed and distributed to 200 vulnerable beneficiaries living on the streets of Accra, Ghana’s capital and with the most reported COVID-19 cases.

 Volunteers and Staff who would be on the Kitchen for the Needy program would be provided with PPEs and hygienic products to protect them. The hot meals would be served with a bottle of water, fruits and personal essentials.

World Health Organization began referring to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak as a pandemic. This expanding health crisis – which is now affecting more than 100 countries  and  making the plight of those facing hunger much more difficult. Ghana as at 22^nd March, 2020 had confirmed 24 cases, 1 death and over 575 contact tracing ongoing

COVID-19 crisis which has shaken the world as the number of victims and countries affected by the pandemic continues to grow. Government has put drastic but necessary measures such as banning public gatherings, restricting traveling and government mandates for partial or total quarantines.

This measures intending to reduce transmission such as quarantines and asking vulnerable populations to stay home are leaving poor and vulnerable people relying on expensive and limited food and grocery delivery services. Disrupted supply chains and panic buying mean that food prices are higher than usual, reducing food access for vulnerable people”

It is in line with Food for All Africa’s mission of creating efficient and sustainable means of nutrition and through the COVID-19 Community Emergency Intervention Program that we are providing expedite relief for beneficiaries and vulnerable people across the country.  Below are measures we have   put  in place in response to the pandemic.

1. Mobilize and distribute GH¢ 500,000 worth of food products and essentials to 5,000+ beneficiaries within the next three months.

2. Recruiting 60 volunteers to work both remotely and at the community level to augment our operations within this period.

Mr. Eric Faith, Director of Recovery and Redistribution at Food for All Africa reiterated, the Food4All CEIP also calls for the support and partnership of individuals and key stakeholders, to get through this crisis and continue to build a strong network that serves millions of families.  He entreated individuals and corporate bodies to contribute through the following means.

• Donating cash or food items by contacting the food recovery and donation department of Food for all Africa through   0246707253 and they would arrange to pick up  donations.

• Volunteer remotely or in-person. We have put in place measures such as providing PPE and social distancing practices for in-person volunteers. Call our volunteer department on  0277807462