Dubai: The UAE Food Bank will open branches and centres outside the country as part of the UAE’s mission to expand its charitable, relief and humanitarian activities worldwide.
This was announced by Hussain Nasser Lootah, vice-chairman of the Board of Trustees of the UAE Food Bank and director-general of Dubai Municipality.
As the first phase of the Food Bank was started by launching its operations in Dubai, Lootah said more branches and centres of the Bank will be inaugurated inside and outside the country in accordance with the approved strategic plan.
He was speaking while receiving at his office Abdul Aziz Al Nughaither, secretary-general of the Saudi Food Bank, who visited Dubai Municipality earlier this week.
Lootah briefed Al Nughaither on the best practices adopted by the UAE Food Bank. Khalid Mohammad Sharif Al Awadhi, assistant director-general for Environment, Health and Safety Control Sector, was also present on the occasion.
During the meeting, the leaders discussed many other topics related to the UAE Food Bank, which operates under the umbrella of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, Dubai Municipality said in a press release.
“The UAE Food Bank carries special importance as a humanitarian, social and cultural initiative that seeks to establish values of commitment and social responsibility and promotes volunteerism by encouraging institutions and people to engage in the Bank’s activities, especially collecting excess food from the organisations concerned and distributing it to those in need and those who deserve,” said Lootah.
“The UAE Food Bank is an integrated humanitarian system to establish the value of feeding. It deals professionally with surplus fresh and canned food under the supervision of the authorities concerned and distributes it inside and outside the country in cooperation with a network of local and international humanitarian and charity organisations,” he added.
Lootah said that the ultimate goal is to put this great service within a sustainable framework, as feeding the food is among the distinguished qualities and the values of the people of the UAE, and the legacy of the Father of the Nation, late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
“Today, we strive through this new establishment, to involve the largest number of community organisations and volunteers in a new system for charity and giving, following in the footsteps of our forefathers,” he pointed out.
“The UAE Food Bank operates in accordance with an integrated professional system, with a multilateral coordination mechanism, which depends on the cooperation of several partners to ensure maximum efficiency,” said Lootah.
