17 September 2020
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
From today – September 17th – until 20th four Cork EUROSPAR Supermarkets will be supporting a new charity initiative called ‘Food For Ireland’, which is aimed at addressing the unprecedented demand on charities and communities across Ireland affected by Covid-19.
The charity FoodCloud works with businesses and retailers to redistribute surplus food to those who need it most and the current reality is that the Covid-19 pandemic has upended the lives of the most vulnerable in our society, with FoodCloud reporting a 70% increase in demand for the supply of food since March. In that time, FoodCloud have distributed the equivalent of 2.3 million meals to those most in need.
Despite the generosity of FoodCloud’s supporters and partners, they are struggling to meet the growing demand. That is why, from September 17th to 20th, John Cuddihy’s EUROSPAR Barryrow, Shane Jones’ EUROSPAR Cobh, Gordon Benn’s EUROSPAR Skibbereen and Kevin Day’s EUROSPAR Whitegate will be asking their shoppers to donate much needed non-perishable food, which will then be redistributed directly by FoodCloud to charities across Cork and Ireland.
The ambition of this appeal is to ensure that no-one goes hungry during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially the hundreds and thousands of vulnerable families and people in communities across our Island. We can all do our bit to alleviate the pain and suffering of those in our communities and the four Cork based EUROSPAR Supermarkets are proud to be a part of this initiative.
While shopping in your EUROSPAR Supermarket, shoppers are asked to add non-perishable items such as breakfast cereals, cooking sauces, hot drinks, rice and pasta, tinned soups and beans, and tinned fruits including tomatoes to their trolley. Shoppers will then pay for their groceries in the normal way and then donate whatever they wish by placing it in the trolley or receptacle designated for the ‘Food For Ireland’ appeal.
Commenting Malachy Hanberry, EUROSPAR Managing Director said:
“These four EUROSPAR Retailers have a long tradition of supporting charities and those most vulnerable in our society. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis they have been providing their shoppers and local communities with a safe and healthy shopping environment and their support of this initiative is another example of their commitment to the communities they serve.”
FoodCloud CEO Iseult Ward said:
“No-one should go hungry during the Covid-19 pandemic; however, the reality is there are hundreds and thousands of vulnerable families and people in communities across our Island who cannot get access to food. “This initiative shows how business can be at the forefront of leading social change providing a lifeline to those who need food the most.”
About FoodCloud
FoodCloud (CHY 21177) was established in 2013 by Iseult Ward and Aoibheann O’Brien. FoodCloud provides an end-to-end solution for the distribution and reuse of surplus food which has a sustainable impact on the global environment, through their efficient technology and warehouse solution.
Iseult Ward (left) from Food Cloud
FoodCloud’s ambition is to make food redistribution to charity the norm in Ireland and beyond. FoodCloud’s technology solution connects retailers directly with local charities to donate food on a daily basis while their warehouse solution rescues large volumes of surplus food and redistributes them to charities and communities across Ireland.
FoodCloud works with several government departments such as the Community Services Programme, the Community Work Placement Initiative, and the FEAD Programme. FoodCloud were the first recipient of funding under Rethink Ireland’s Growth Fund. This Fund is supported by both AIB and the Department of Rural and Community Development from the Dormant Accounts Fund.