Rotterdam mobile food bank expands to five neighbourhoods

ROTTERDAM, 8 October 2024 – In an effort to address food insecurity, a mobile food bank is making its rounds across Rotterdam. Councillor Natasha Mohamed-Hoesein will join the Rotterdam Food Service on 8 October to experience the initiative first-hand.

The Rotterdam Food Service (Rotterdamse Voedselservice), a project spearheaded by Stichting Salaam and Hotspot Hutspot, has expanded its reach across underserved neighbourhoods in Rotterdam. The initiative, supported by a grant from the 100-year Volkskracht foundation, aims to provide food aid to those who have limited access to traditional food banks.

Reaching underserved communities in Rotterdam

The Rotterdam Food Service targets families and individuals living in poverty in specific areas of the city, including Slinge, Crooswijk, Overschie, Oosterflank, and Lombardijen. These neighbourhoods often lack adequate access to food assistance and other social services. The mobile food bank particularly caters to residents who face challenges such as limited mobility, financial difficulties that prevent travel, or a general lack of awareness regarding available food assistance programmes. Furthermore, the initiative acknowledges dietary restrictions by providing options for those requiring halal food, a service that is not always available at traditional food banks.

Each day, the food service helps over 75 residents of these areas, offering fresh food collected primarily from surplus supplies, thus also contributing to the reduction of food waste. In addition, registered participants will soon be able to receive essential pantry items such as oil, flour, rice, lentils, and milk, which are made available through donations.

A growing initiative

The Rotterdam Food Service began as a pilot in December at the same location where the Hotspot Hutspot giveaway shop once operated. Since then, the initiative has grown, with the mobile food bank recently expanding its service to Lombardijen, now covering five different neighbourhoods. The service has quickly gained recognition, and long queues have become common at each stop. The vehicle itself has become a familiar sight, thanks in part to its distinct appearance, crafted by Rotterdam Signpainters, another recipient of the Volkskracht grant. On 8 October, the team will add final touches to the bus’s design.