“Nobody should go hungry”, said Chairman of the newly set up Solidarity Meals, Julian Sammut.

An operation set up by The Alfred Mizzi Foundation with the support of Alf. Mizzi & Sons (Marketing) and Vecchia Napoli, Solidarity Meals – with the slogan Ikla Bnina Kuljum (a good meal each day) aims to provide a lifeline for those families and individuals struggling during the COVID-19 crisis.

The Alfred Mizzi Foundation (TAMF) has long been involved with supplying the needy with cooked food and provisions mostly through its Kitchen at Dar Papa Frangisk and Food Bank Lifeline.

“The negative effects of COVID 19 are still to be fully felt and it will be the vulnerable who will suffer them; the poor, the old, the unemployed will be feeling helpless as their lives take a sudden turn for the worse.” TAMF Chairman, Julian Sammut remarked.

“The Foundation’s worst fears are fast becoming reality. There are so many people out there who are lost, people who have never found themselves in such a desperate situation before. Many have families and are at their wit’s end. The fight against this dreaded virus has been described as a war.

“The Health Authorities are doing a great job fighting the virus, our fight is against hunger and the sadness, indignity and suffering it brings with it. No one must go hungry, no one must beg. Together we can ensure that nobody does. We as The Alfred Mizzi Foundation are fortunate to have generous funds, passed on from Alf. Mizzi & Sons, at our disposal to help make a difference.”

Solidarity Meals project is supplied with most of its provisions from AMSM (Alf. Mizzi & Sons Marketing) and delivers hundreds of meals daily to distribution centres around the island where volunteers led by Caritas (Malta) ensure that the meals are taken to people in their homes.

Vecchia Napoli has converted one of its dormant kitchens into a meal preparation hub and its idle chefs are now active again to prepare the meals.

“Each week a menu is prepared, and we ensure variety and well balanced meals. Our mission is not one to just fill stomachs but to provide nutritious food and keep people strong and in good health. During our first week we are providing 350 meals a day. We expect this figure to climb to 1,000 a day over the next few weeks.

We can keep this going for two to three months, thereafter we may need support too, we don’t doubt that we’ll get this and welcome any help that comes our way especially fresh fruit and vegetables, there is great enthusiasm all round.”

Soldarity Meals may be contacted on [email protected] or through The Alfred Mizzi Foundation [email protected].