Stadin safka, a joint operation of the City of Helsinki and the Parish Union of Helsinki, transports the food sector’s surplus food to food aid and develops food aid in Helsinki together with food aid operators. The Stadin safka food aid network comprises 77 organisations, parishes and City units that provide food to Helsinki residents in need as meals, take-home food bags and snacks. More than 70 shops, wholesalers, restaurants and industrial operators donate their surplus food.
Over the past five years, the focus of food aid has shifted from long food queues to smaller meeting places that help strengthen inclusion and community. At the same time, the overall picture of the situation of food aid in Helsinki has become much clearer. Centralised surplus food logistics have improved the efficiency of surplus food recovery, reduced the carbon footprint and improved food safety in food aid.
“Over the past five years, Stadin safka has established itself as a good model for organising food aid in Helsinki. The nearly four million kilos of surplus food delivered to food aid operators in Helsinki includes massive amounts of help, everyday support and encounters. Stadin safka's operations reflect our city's goal to be there for all Helsinki residents,” says Daniel Sazonov, Mayor of Helsinki.
Need for food aid on the rise
Every month, approximately 16,000 food bags, 19,000 meals and 14,000snacksare served to Helsinki residents from the surplus food distributed by Stadin safka. The logistics of Stadin safka allow food aid operators to focus more and more on their main task of meeting with and supporting people. The clients of food aid services also have the support of the social instructors of the City of Helsinki's outreach work.
“Food aid is not just about distributing food. It is about meeting people, empowering them and helping them in a variety of professional ways. Stadin safka's mission is to ensure that food aid reaches those in need equally and that the work is developed together with the food aid operators,” says Anni Heinälä, the head of food aid operations.
The need for food aid has been increasing while the amount of donated surplus food has been decreasing. This is why Stadin safka has developed new solutions, such as using surplus food from restaurants. From 2024 onwards, this restaurant surplus has already helped to provide over 25, 000 more hot meals to Helsinki residents. The donation of restaurant surplus food has been piloted in cooperation with the Food Waste Ecosystem project.
