11 December 2018
Written by: Craig Johnson, Founder of Launch Foods
Christmas is a time of excess… but many of Glasgow’s youngsters will go hungry, just as they do every other day of the year.
The question I ask myself on a daily basis is, “is it ok for any child in Scotland to go hungry?” I don’t believe it is and given that I remember what an empty fridge looks like, I felt I had to do something. Anything. It was at this point that I founded not-for-profit ‘Launch Foods,’ an initiative that turns surplus food from food producers into over 11,000 meals in seven weeks to youngsters in Glasgow.
So where does the surplus food come from? In short, it’s perfectly good food that is simply thrown away because it is misshapen, approaching its best before date, or doesn’t look attractive enough for supermarkets. Launch Foods simply collects this tasty, perfectly edible food, turning it into a delicious nutritious menu that the kids seem to love! In line with the socially conscious cause, all of the packaging is compostable and biodegradable too. A perfect example of circular economy for good!
Thanks to Launch Food’s Airstream food truck, we work in partnership with Achieve More Scotland to deliver hot meals straight to those empty tummies that need it the most. We also make sure that the dishes are free to ALL children, removing any stigma for those from certain backgrounds.
Launch is a 365-day operation; it is not just for school holiday hunger. Last month, the team at Circular Glasgow had asked me to speak at their recent Get Inspired event but I had no option other than to decline… 300 weans to feed. We were kinda busy! However, spotting the chance to tell my story in this blog and making an ask of the Glasgow business community felt like too good an opportunity to miss!
There are kids in our city going hungry through no fault of their own. My ask is simple. Could you show your goodwill this Christmas by joining me in letting Glasgow’s youngsters know that our business community cares?
If you’d like to get involved, here are three small steps you could take to help make a big difference.
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DONATE: all donations will go towards additional vehicles to distribute further meals (each commissioned truck provides in excess 7500 meals to children that need it most) as well as supporting the opening of Launch’s new coffee shop and restaurant – Launch Coffee, 97 Bothwell Street – serving up great food and drinks with all profits going back into feeding our city’s kids
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FOOD DONATIONS: Do you have surplus raw food from which we could create a menu of delicious treats, such as burgers, chicken wraps, smoothies and pasta? If so, please get in touch.
- LEARN MORE: Hear from some familiar Glaswegian faces, including Elaine C Smith, who have already pledged their support to launchfoods.org Why not join them by showing the rest of country how Glasgow’s business community can work together to take care of its kids.
Thank you for your support!
I’m Craig Johnson and you can reach me at craig@launchfoods.org