Want China Times, CNA 2014-08-30
Six food banks in Taiwan launched an alliance in Taipei Thursday to share their resources and logistics more effectively and to push for legislation that encourages donations to food banks.
Food provided by 1919 Food Bank. (Photo/Kuo Chia-jung) |
Six food banks in Taiwan launched an alliance in Taipei Thursday to share their resources and logistics more effectively and to push for legislation that encourages donations to food banks.
The
founding of the Cozy Food Bank Alliance in Taiwan is aimed at "saying no
to wasting resources," the alliance said in a statement.
Its members
include the Taiwan People's Food Bank Association, the 1919 Food Bank, the
Andrew Food Bank, the Chinese Youth Peace Corps Food Bank, the Southern
Airport's Jen Ji Shiang Food Bank and the Red Cross Society of the Republic of
China's Taichung branch, which operates a food bank in the central
municipality.
"We
hope to send the supplies to people in need in the fastest and most efficient
way," Lawrence Liu, president of the Taiwan People's Food Bank Association
and the first secretary-general of the alliance, said at a press conference.
Members of
the alliance will share resources, information and logistics with each other,
and cooperate in disaster relief assistance, community development and care
services, Liu said.
They will
also push for legislation that gives tax breaks to individuals and companies
that donate to food banks, allows food banks or the public to purchase excess
farm produce at discounted prices to give to the needy, and better ensure the
safety of the food being distributed, Liu said.
He said
Taiwan wastes 2.75 million tons of food each year, enough to feed 260,000
low-income households for 20 years.
Anthony
Kitchen, manager of network programs with the US-based Global FoodBanking
Network, stressed that food banks create a "win-win" situation for
all involved.
In addition
to helping people in need, food banks benefit businesses and organizations that
have a problem with surplus food, which could otherwise cost time and money to
deal with, he said at the press conference.
A food bank
collects and distributes surplus food to people too impoverished to adequately
feed themselves and their families. The first food bank was established in the
United States in 1967.
The Taiwan
People's Food Bank Association became the 24th member of the Global FoodBanking
Network in 2012.
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