Wuppertal (dpa / lnw) – The state wants to support the food banks and other food distributors in North Rhine-Westphalia with around two million euros in view of the price explosion. Health and Social Affairs Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) announced on Thursday at an appointment in Wuppertal that the black-green state government had put together an aid package of this scope. “The important work of the food banks and food distributors must not be jeopardized. That is why the state is now helping again quickly and unbureaucratically so that ongoing operations can be maintained,” he explained.
According to the information, the local food banks and food distributors can each apply for up to 1500 euros for the months of October 2022 to February 2023 to finance increased expenses for fuel, energy and heating as well as to finance ongoing operating expenses such as rent or dishes. A total of up to 7,500 euros is available per facility for this period. The purchase of a refrigerated truck will also be financed for the regional association of food banks. The vehicle is intended to ensure the supply of individual panels in North Rhine-Westphalia.
“For many people in North Rhine-Westphalia, the panels are an important support in their everyday life,” stated the minister. They are once again facing major challenges: rising energy and food prices, tighter calculations by supermarkets and a decline in donations in kind and money. “As a result, an increasing number of people in need is faced with an increasingly smaller range of food banks and other food distributors,” Laumann described. According to the ministry, a one-off support service is initially planned. The aim is to consolidate the support. How this can be implemented is currently being examined.
