Amazon, in collaboration with the UAE Food Bank, has launched its second annual campaign to donate one million meals to families in need across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt during Ramadan.
The online retail giant will supply underprivileged families with essential groceries and food items, packaging materials, services and monetary donations.
The campaign complements the UAE Food Bank’s mission to feed those in need across the region while minimising food wastage.
“It is our pleasure to partner with Amazon once again on this critical initiative. The UAE Food Bank’s mission is to help people in need while reducing food waste,” said Dr Sayed Essam Al Hashmi, head of the UAE Food Bank’s Food Trade Control division.
“During the month of giving and helping others, we are proud to be able to contribute in such an important way.
“We feel very passionate about the work we do, and we value the partnerships we have with the private sector, with companies like Amazon who share the same passion and commitment, and are always keen to give back,” said Dr Al Hashmi.
Amazon employees, alongside community partners, will be given the opportunity to volunteer to assemble packages of essential food items and groceries at Amazon’s fulfilment centres across the region.
“Ramadan is a time for giving back to and supporting the communities we operate in,” said Prashant Saran, director of operations for Amazon’s Middle East and North Africa division.
“This is a responsibility we take very seriously across all levels of our organisation. Amazon has a long-standing commitment of working alongside community partners to find practical solutions to imminent problems, so we are delighted to continue supporting food charities across the region.
“We continue to provide opportunities for employees to give back to the community because we put their wellbeing above everything else.”
Amazon’s Ramadan campaign aligns with its Right Now Needs initiative, which combats the impacts of poverty, homelessness, hunger and natural disasters.
“In the true spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadan, we are proud to extend our support to the important work the UAE Food Bank does through the year,” said Ronaldo Mouchawar, vice president of Amazon’s Middle East and North Africa division.
“With our ability to innovate quickly, we are leveraging our experience in logistics and delivery to help to get more than one million meals into the hands of those who need them the most especially during the month of giving.”
Last year’s campaign marked one of Amazon’s biggest food drives, with approximately 1,074,080 meals donated regionally.
The campaign also employed the help of the public, with people able to donate AED10 to fund 10 meals.
