The new headquarters, located in the vicinity of Almancil market, was officially opened at the end of last month and represents expansion of the project in the Algarve region following the opening of a hub in Algoz in January.
Alexandra Brito, spokesperson for the Almancil ReFood branch, said: “It is a 100 percent voluntary project. We need more volunteers and managers, to help organise and plan tasks and volunteer two hours a week to collect food from sources, and prepare hampers for distribution to beneficiaries.”
She elaborated: “The support of companies and/or associations is also desirable, not only because it is fundamental to meet some of the needs arising from daily operations, but also because we want to involve the whole community in this initiative.”
Launched in Lisbon in March 2011 by American expat Hunter Halder, ReFood works by collecting surplus food from local eateries such as cafés, restaurants, bakeries and supermarkets, and distributing it directly to the local needy via a network of hubs known as ‘cells’.
Refood comprises cells in a handful of Lisbon neighbourhoods, plus the two in the Algarve, and is run entirely by volunteers of whom there are now a few hundred.
In the very early days Halder himself would collect food from local establishments on his modified bicycle and would deliver directly to the doors of families he knew were in need.
From there the project has grown significantly.
In Almancil, Alexandra Brito explains, “We are just starting and we already have some families flagged, but, because the cell is not yet fully official, the collections are being forwarded to local associations.”
For more information, Facebook Refood International, or see website: http://www.re-food.org/blog.