The UAE Food Bank exceeded its Ramadan goal by distributing 8.2 million meals — 200,000 more than its original target — through its 'Bank of Goodness in the Month of Goodness' campaign, reaching over 7.3 million beneficiaries across the UAE and beyond.
Run under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, the campaign operated through five programmes: Charity Fridge, My Home Without Waste, Meer Al Khair, Zabeel Iftar, and Recycle, Relife. Together, they supported nearly 1.368 million families and more than 500,000 workers, backed by over 6,645 volunteers.
The initiative delivered measurable environmental results alongside its humanitarian reach. By diverting approximately 4.62 million surplus meals and food parcels from landfills, the campaign helped reduce over 4.69 million kg of carbon emissions — the equivalent of planting nearly 196,000 trees.
Among the campaign's standout efforts, the Meer Al Khair initiative alone distributed food parcels to over 6.8 million beneficiaries, while 25 Charity Fridges were installed across residential communities and schools, reaching nearly 496,000 individuals. A communal Iftar event under the Zabeel Iftar initiative served 5,000 workers during the holy month.
In partnership with ne'ma, the UAE's National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, the Recycle, Relife programme salvaged approximately 1.4 million kg of near-expiry food from hotels and retailers. Food collected from 87 hotels — a 142% increase over the previous year — was either redistributed or converted into over 72,000 kg of organic agricultural compost.
The campaign also forged 12 new partnerships and engaged more than 215 donor institutions, reinforcing the Food Bank's role as a sustainable humanitarian network built on the principles of food security, waste reduction and community solidarity.
News Source: Dubai Media Office
