The Lost Food Project is a pioneering food bank and food rescue NGO in Malaysia that rescues quality, nutritious surplus food that would otherwise end up in landfill. This food is then redistributed to those who need it most, regardless of religion, gender, age, disability or ethnic group.
The tagline of TLFP is “Feed the hungry, not the landfill“. I have been a volunteer for this organisation since five years now.
In the beginning I was involved in almost all the teams, as it was quite new back then. Nowadays, I am involved with the Volunteer Management team and the Operations meetings. It’s a hugely satisfying experience, as it covers most of what I’m passionate about: reducing food waste, helping others, and helping the environment. Surrounded by like-minded volunteers, it’s also been fantastic making new friends with the same passions.
What does The Lost Food Project accomplish?
As Malaysia’s leading food bank, The Lost Food Project is committed to reducing the amount of food and other products unnecessarily sent to landfill. In five years since launching, The Lost Food Project has been able to rescue enough surplus food to provide 8.5 million meals to people in need. In doing so, on a monthly basis, an average 288 tonnes of C02 is prevented from entering the atmosphere.
How does it work?
The Lost Food Project secures partnerships with major food suppliers, from wholesale markets to supermarkets to smaller restaurants and cafes. They also identify partnerships with soup kitchens like PERTIWI Soup Kitchen and Institut Onn Jaafar, as well as strategic partners like Program Food Bank Malaysia, which is coordinated by the Ministry of Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs.
Who receives the food?
The Lost Food Project supports over 70 charities and several low-cost housing communities in the Klang Valley, Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru, as well as a thousand at-risk B40 communities. Our beneficiaries include many recipients and families in the B40 income category, orphanages, elderly homes, day care centres and homes for PWDs (People with Disabilities), women’s shelters, refugee homes and schools, rehabilitation centres, street feeding programs, and community centres. Altogether, we provide meals to thousands of beneficiaries per week.
How can you help?
Donations help to keep the trucks running and the warehouse stocked with food! It also helps to scale operations to meet rising demands for food aid in Malaysia, to enable The Lost Food Project to feed thousands of beneficiaries per week.
For more information and to donate, please visit their website here.
