As Israelis celebrate Rosh Hashanah, millions of shekels’ worth of food will go to waste over extravagant meals. At the same time, thousands of families struggle to put food on the table.
Leket Israel was started because Israel today is a Western country and “we waste with the best of them,” according to Joseph Gitler, the founder and CEO of Leket.
“Those who have been left behind in the Startup Nation have only found it harder over the years to make ends meet,” he explained. “So what food rescue does: It says we have all this wonderful, healthy, nutritious, safe food going to waste. That's really just an abomination. Let's make sure it gets in the hands of those who need it.”
There are many different ways that food can be rescued. For example, there is always a fear of not having enough food. So excess is made in the army, corporate cafeterias, for weddings, and other events. The same is true with produce: farmers may plant more than society needs, face low market value, or be unable to sell fruits and vegetables that are perfectly edible but don’t look appealing. Leket takes this food and delivers it to people who need it.
“That's when Leket steps in with our tens of thousands of volunteers working in the fields, working in our distribution center, and those are all opportunities and ways to give us a hand,” Gitler said.
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LEKET ISRAEL
