There have been crates with food at welfare organization Pluspunt in Zandvoort for a few weeks now. People who can use it well can take it for free. The products are leftovers from supermarkets and are collected twice a week by Ton, who also wants to prevent food waste.
“You know that food is thrown away, while a few hundred meters away people live who can use it very well. And that goes on every day.” Ton had been surprised about it for some time and wanted to see if he could bring the two together. When he read the ad from foundation Haarlem Food Future who has various campaigns to combat food waste, he signed up as a volunteer.
“I know the region well here and know where the small neighborhood supermarkets are. You need them, because the large supermarkets often cannot just give away their food leftovers.” Ton made contact with four small supermarkets in Heemstede, Vogelenzang and Bennebroek and they all wanted to cooperate.
For several weeks, Ton has been driving around the supermarkets on Wednesday and Friday mornings and collecting crates full of food. “Often a lot of bread, because if it has been on the shelves for a day, it can no longer be sold. But it is still fine. At home you often eat bread that has been lying around for a day, there is nothing wrong with that.”
After his round, Ton brings the crates of food to the Plus Point, where they are very happy with it. “Due to the rule, it is empty very quickly,” says Jolande Gooszen of the Pluspunt. “We really see people coming in targeted as soon as the crates are filled and taking a lot with them.”
Fulfilment
Ton is very modest himself and does not like to show off his volunteer contribution. But he’s glad he can do something. “It is very satisfying, I really feel that I am doing something useful. And that it is meaningful and necessary. You save the food and you help the people who need it. That makes me feel good.”
In the meantime, he is also thinking about expanding the campaign to Haarlem. “I like to set up, so maybe I can do something like that for Schalkwijk in the future.”