"Because aid cannot stop, even in the impossibility of having volunteers in supermarkets to carry out the already traditional food collection campaign during the month of May, the Food Banks Against Hunger call on the Portuguese to, between 21 and 31 May , contribute by making your donations through Ajuda Vale in supermarket boxes and / or the online donation portal ", the entity said in a statement.

Under the motto "Help fill this void", this year's Banco Alimentar campaign aims to raise awareness among the Portuguese for the "many families that are affected by a scenario of food shortages every day, a situation now worsened, reinforcing the importance of the contribution and involvement of each one ".

The Ajuda Vale modality has already been used in previous campaigns, making it possible to contribute through product vouchers, which will be available until May 31 at supermarket checkouts and donations are also possible through the organization's online donation site.

"The most vulnerable people who, as a result of the measures enacted to contain the spread of the pandemic, were deprived of the food assistance they normally receive, came to join more than 60 thousand people, victims of the situation generated by this new reality that we live" , Isabel Jonet, president of the Portuguese Federation of Food Banks Against Hunger, said in the statement.

Isabel Jonet stressed that "aid cannot stop, let alone now when it is even more necessary".

In 2019, the 21 Food Banks operating in Portugal distributed 23,382 tons of food (with an estimated value of 31.7 million euros), an average movement of 93.5 tons per working day.

Approximately 2,400 institutions were assisted, and food delivered to nearly 380,000 people with proven food shortages, in the form of baskets or cooked meals, according to data from the Portuguese Federation of Food Banks Against Hunger.

For further information visit https://www.bancoalimentar.pt/