As food insecurity continues to rise in Nigeria, heightened by the current economic challenges, on Saturday 31st August 2024, the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, through the Temporary Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), provided food and household items to elderly women and widows from Ajegunle Community, households disproportionately affected by the worsening economic crisis. The outreach was aimed to ease the burden on these communities by providing nutritious meals and essential household items, offering a lifeline in a time of dire need.
In preparation for the outreach, the Lagos Food Bank beneficiary registration team contacted the beneficiaries and invited them to the warehouse for nutritional intervention. Present at the outreach were our Food Bank volunteers, who assisted with food preparation and packaging, and engaged with the beneficiaries, many of whom had arrived early.
In attendance was the Executive Director of the Lagos Food Bank, Dr. Michael Sunbola, in his speech, highlighted the increasing challenges faced by vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly and widows, and reaffirmed Lagos Food Bank’s commitment to supporting these groups through targeted interventions. He also expressed his gratitude to the dedicated Food Bank volunteers and the LFBI team whose efforts made the outreach possible, emphasizing that collective action is crucial in addressing the growing hunger crisis in the country.
The outreach was a resounding success as beneficiaries were deeply grateful for the assistance, with many expressing their appreciation for the support. A beneficiary of the distribution, Mrs. Aliu from Ajegunle, was particularly moved by the food items, personal care materials and clothing she received, offering heartfelt prayers and gratitude to the Lagos Food Bank. Her words highlighted the impact of the food bank’s efforts to mitigate hunger.
This distribution showed the organization’s dedication to its mission to tackle the issues of food insecurity and to provide for those in need. They continue to make a lasting difference in the lives of vulnerable communities.