ESB and FoodCloud have teamed up to launch the new Food Rescue Project, which will use an ESB electric car to recover/collect surplus good food and deliver it to local charities in the Dublin city area.
FoodCloud is a not-for-profit organisation that matches food, which would otherwise go to waste with local charities across Ireland. Over the course of a year, it is estimated that the Food Rescue Project, could divert up to 30 tonnes of food from waste and deliver the equivalent of 72,000 meals to local charities.
Announcing the project, Dermot McArdle, head of ecars, ESB said, “It makes perfect sense for us at ESB to support Foodcloud on the Food Rescue Project, an organisation which shares our values of sustainability, waste reduction, efficiency and innovation.”
Dermot McArdle, Head of ecars at ESB with Aoibheann O’Brien, co-Founder Foodcloud, Deirdre Arthur, ESB ecars and Iseult Ward, co-Founder of FoodCloud.
As part of the initiative, ESB has installed a dedicated charge point at Foodcloud’s city centre base and the organisation will also be able to access the public charge point network. The ecar will facilitate citywide deliveries with zero CO2 emissions. AXA Insurance is insuring the vehicle, enabling Foodcloud to avail of AXA’s discounted electric vehicle (EV) motor insurance policy.
Iseult Ward, co-Founder of FoodCloud added, “We are delighted to partner with ESB on the Food Rescue Project, which will allow us to deliver food to local charities more effectively and more quickly. Receiving donated surplus food lets charities concentrate on their core work, by redirecting resources towards addressing social problems and supporting those who are disadvantaged or at risk.”
FoodCloud also announced that it is seeking volunteer drivers for the Food Rescue Project to collect surplus food from food businesses in Dublin and deliver it directly to charities that operate during the evening time .
Encouraging volunteers to apply, Aoibheann O’Brien, co-Founder Foodcloud said, “Volunteering with Foodcloud will provide Dubliners the opportunity to help reduce food waste and food poverty across the city and to make a real and tangible difference to charities working within local communities.”
Volunteers can apply at: info@foodcloud.ie
