On February 6th, our team paid a visit to Voedselbank Leiden, the place where the vegetables we harvest are so gratefully received. We were given a tour within their impressive distribution center and received more information about their work, requirements, and customer experiences.
A vision on healthy nutrition
Voedselbank Leiden aims to provide a healthy and varied diet for all clients. Based on a balanced dietary, customers receive weekly portions of fresh vegetables, dairy and potatoes, rice, or pasta. In addition to their weekly goods, they receive products like cheese, eggs, butter, flour, coffee, and tea once a month.
Voedselbank Leiden distributes donated goods as much as possible. However, some products need to be purchased due to availability and expiry dates. Among these products are the necessary portions of fresh vegetables, which are in short supply during the winter period since the gardens can only harvest to a limited extent.
Peter Klapwijk, advisor in the horticultural sector and board member of Stichting De Groentedeler, immediately responds to this. “This means that it would be very helpful if we could extend the harvesting season in the gardens,” he summarizes. By hearing about the challenges at Voedselbank Leiden, he finds himself challenged to think about new possibilities to facilitate even more support in upcoming seasons.
Sustainably grown, high-quality vegetables
“We believe that everyone deserves a proper meal,” says Margriet Nieuwenhuis, board member of Voedselbank Leiden. She indicates how much the clients look forward to the amount of fresh vegetables during the season. Tasty crops full of nutritional value.
We can clearly see the conscious way people think about new ways to profit from vegetables. New initiatives arise frequently to make the most of these crops. For example, Paula van Kesteren, also a board member of Voedselbank Leiden, explains that some vegetables are unfamiliar to their clients. While volunteers are asked how certain vegetables can be prepared, an initiative was started to create simple recipes for specific crops. Well-considered menu’s that are quickly prepared, without the need for a well-stocked pantry with numerous herbs and additional products.
Vegetables from De Groentedeler
By now, Stichting De Groentedeler, has been donating fresh vegetables to Voedselbank Leiden for 3 years. By visiting their distribution center, we saw where the vegetables we harvest end up and how they are dist
ributed. This gave the whole team an extra boost to raise funds in order to continue our efforts to donate fresh vegetables.
In 2023, we harvested over 8,000 portions of fresh vegetables, and this number will increase to 10,000 portions in 2024. Together with Mariska Verhulst from the garden Bij Mei, who was also present during this visit, we are committed to providing customers with the varied nutrition they need.
Together, we can share all the necessary vegetables
Are you willing to help us share all the necessary vegetables? We would greatly appreciate your donation! Now that we have obtained the ANBI-status, you can even enjoy tax benefits if you donate structurally. We believe that we are stronger together. So, let’s join our forces and ensure an increasing quantity of fresh vegetables donated to the clients of Voedselbank Leiden.
Stichting De Groentedeler and Voedselbank Leiden in Leidsch Dagblad!
An article about our visit to Voedselbank Leiden also appeared in Leidsch Dagblad. Are you curious about this article? Click here to read more.
