Food aid schemes to cover entire city

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) plans to expand the coverage its food security projects to cover more areas in the capital.

It hopes to expand the programmes to cover all 50 districts by the end of the year, says the director of BMA’s Social Development Office, Sanyakorn Ounmeesri.

The projects, known as the Food Surplus and BKK Food Bank, were designed to help ensure food security of the city’s residents by improving the distribution of resources in an equitable fashion, said Mr Sanyakorn.

The programmes, which began last year, were initially rolled out in 10 districts, namely Prawet, Lat Krabang, Klong Toey, Phra Khanong, Bang Khae, Bang Khunthian, Phasicharoen, Bangkok Noi, Khlong San and Bang Phlat, he said.

The Food Surplus scheme, which is handled by Scholars of Sustenance Foundation (SOS) and VV Share Foundation, collects untouched leftover food donated by project partners to be redistributed to vulnerable groups on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, he added.

Over the past seven months, up until last week, 44.80 tonnes of food have been redistributed.

“The amount redistributed to date is equivalent to a little over 188,181 standard meals,” he said.

The project has also helped cut the city’s carbon dioxide emissions by 113,356.85 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), Mr Sanyakorn said.

To date, the scheme has provided food to 9,158 senior citizens, 2,338 underprivileged individuals, 3,135 poor children, 1,461 orphans, 1,113 disabled people, 742 bed-ridden patients and 184 homeless people, he said.

The BKK Food Bank programme, meanwhile, was initially rolled out in Huai Khwang, Phra Khanong, Bang Phlat and Bang Khunthian districts at the start of the year.

Under the scheme, food banks are established in the districts, where those in need could stock up on basic necessities provided by donors.

The BMA plans to expand both programmes to cover all 50 districts of Bangkok, possibly by the end of this year, said Mr Sanyakorn.