What is CrowdGiving? 

It all started during the COVID-19 crisis, when the war in Ukraine began, and we felt that something could be done to help those affected by food shortages (among other things). We launched an initiative where CrowdFarmers (our customers) could donate boxes of fresh organic produce from our farmers to those in need. This project was successful and 245 tonnes of fresh organic produce was donated to 3 NGOs in Poland (SOS Food Bank in Warsaw, World Central Kitchen y Caritas Leżajsk). 

As we became more involved in these matters, we came to realise that 8.6% of the population living in the European Union is grappling with food poverty. These individuals turn to food banks to secure at least one meal a day. After numerous conversations with food banks to determine how we could help, we understood that the fruit they received was rarely fresh nor in good condition (let alone organic). Most of the produce they receive is what the rest of the population is unwilling to purchase. This is why, just before the 2023 Christmas holidays, we launched CrowdGiving 2.0. 

Unlike our first CrowdGiving initiative that was punctual and localised, our 2.0 version is here to stay, active all year round, and not only for specific donation campaigns. We now offer our CrowdFarmers the possibility to donate fresh produce whenever they feel like it, to different food banks in Europe. (France, Spain, Germany and Poland).

How does it work?

The way it works is donors choose an NGO and product they want to donate (of the same quality that we send in regular orders), farmers receive the full price for their products and CrowdFarming handles the shipment to the NGO. When shipments arrive at the NGO, we reimburse the donor 20% of the cost of the order in credits (approximately the amount CrowdFarming would earn with the average order), so that they can use the discount on their next CrowdFarming purchase. 

The producer continues to receive their fair share, and CrowdFarming takes care of managing the shipment and financing the logistics cost. The products available will vary depending on what’s in season, but so far we have donated oranges, clementines, avocados, and rice.

What do we have to show for it?

To kick off the project, we chose four food banks and NGOs to receive clementines, avocados, and rice.

Tafel Mannheim, Germany: A regional logistics centre, part of Tafel Deutschland, that supplies not only its own six distribution points but also supports nine other food banks in the region. They serve between 5,000 and 6,000 people weekly.

• Received 3882 boxes –  27.429 kg of food 
  
  

Banques Alimentaires, France: The leading food aid network in France and for almost 40 years, they have been fighting against poverty and food insecurity. Banques Alimentaires network helps 2.1 million people in need of food aid. 

• Received 951 boxes –  6.370 kg of food
  
  

SOS Food Bank in Warsaw, Poland: Daily actions of the Food Bank reflect their mission — saving food from waste and helping those in need. They cooperate with many charity spots where Ukrainian refugees are living, and new ones keep arriving. 

• Received 686 boxes 5.485 kg of food
  
  

Amigos de la Calle, Valencia, Spain: We wanted to offer an option that was close to our logistic centre in Valencia, where the orders are prepared, to also have the possibility of helping those in need while reducing food miles. They prepare 720 bags of food every Sunday for people in need, and they always try to add a piece of fruit.

• Received 993 boxes – 6.637 kg of food
  
  

A better future through collective action

We firmly believe that meaningful change stems not from the actions of a few, but from the collective efforts of many. The results of our CrowdGiving  initiative has been both humbling and inspiring for us, and we are so grateful for the amazing community of CrowdFarmers that we have and the generosity and compassion of our CrowdFarmers. As we look ahead, we are eager to expand this initiative, welcoming more food banks into our network and continuing our journey towards a future free from food waste. Together, we can make a difference.