On September 29, the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, our social worker Vanessa appeared on “Sabah El Kheir Mn Beirut” on SAT-7 ARABIC to reaffirm Berrad El Hay’s daily mission: reducing food waste and nourishing lives.

From our beginnings as a grassroots community initiative to becoming an established NGO, Vanessa shared how Berrad El Hay has grown into a movement rooted in dignity and solidarity.

During the interview, she highlighted our “No to Food Waste” awareness campaigns in schools. By teaching children the value of food, we plant seeds of respect and responsibility that ripple across families and communities.

Vanessa also introduced our food recovery program, where surplus food is collected from grocery stores, retailers, food companies, caterers, and even weddings. In 2024 alone, meals from over 70 weddings were saved from waste and redistributed through our community fridges and NGO partners. With the help of Toters, donations can now be delivered directly to our centers in Achrafieh (St. John the Baptist Parish, St. Michael Parish) and Haret Sakher (Notre Dame des Secours Parish).

Another key topic was our Fill Their Lunchboxes initiative, which provides nutritious weekly lunchboxes to children in public schools and after-school programs. For too many children, lunch means nothing more than a piece of bread—or nothing at all. Through this program, we ensure they receive the nourishment they need to grow, learn, and thrive.

At Berrad El Hay, we live by one simple truth: good food should never go to waste while so many go without it. With the support of our partners, volunteers, and community fridges, we continue transforming surplus food into meals of dignity and care.

📺 Watch Vanessa’s full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DQ2uBkN6Pg