The Food Emergency Network project arises from the urgent need to face a substantial increase in the number of families in need (due to the serious economic situation caused by the lockdown in March and April) and a significant decrease in the social support associations available in that same period. Thus, the network seeks to identify which local institutions are open and available (taking advantage of the vast network of contacts established by the Food Bank and making new partnerships) and to help bridge the gap between these same institutions and the people asking for support directly from the network.

The project aims to respond to requests for help from the most vulnerable families affected by the pandemic. When a person requests help through the network's website, we try to allocate it as soon as possible to an institution that acts in the area of ​​the request. After contacting various institutions, there is a coordination phase with the more than 20 food banks in the country so that it is possible to increase the donated goods, if necessary, to be delivered to each of these institutions, which in turn deliver it to the family who placed the order.

Between March 19 and September 30, 2020, that is, a period of 6 months, 20,106 requests for food support, related to approximately 60,752 people, were received directly through the Food Emergency Network.

During the greatest incidence period, the network had a team of more than 40 volunteers responsible for receiving and handling requests, forwarding them, and establishing contact with the different social support associations throughout the country.

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