Welcome to Food for Thought, a space where we explore ideas, share real stories, and spark conversations around food, hunger, poverty and the power of community.
Why We Do What We Do: The Story Behind Food Aid Foundation
Every day in Malaysia, thousands of kilos of food go to waste, while thousands of people go hungry. This painful contrast is the reason Food Aid Foundation exists.
We started in 2013 with a simple but powerful idea: what if we could bridge the gap between food surplus and food insecurity? What if unwanted or unsellable food could be rescued and given to those who truly need it?
That’s exactly what we’ve been doing ever since.
As Malaysia’s pioneering food bank, Food Aid Foundation collects surplus food from manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, hotels, and individuals. These are items that are safe to eat but no longer marketable, such as close to expiry, in damaged packaging, off-spec, discontinued, or seasonal goods.
Instead of letting them end up in landfills, we rescue them. Then we redistribute this food to charitable homes, refugee communities, low-income families, and soup kitchens, providing nourishment, relief, and dignity to those facing tough times.
In 2024 alone, we rescued nearly 1.3 million kilograms of food, equivalent to 2 million meals, and helped almost 5 million people. That’s not just food saved. That’s hunger reduced, carbon emissions avoided, and lives touched.
But our mission goes beyond food. We believe in empowerment. Through our culinary training programs, we help individuals, especially those from underserved backgrounds, gain skills to build a better, more self-reliant future.
We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but we also know the work isn’t done. Every day brings new challenges, new stories, and new opportunities to help. And we can’t do it alone.
Whether you’re a food donor, a sponsor, a volunteer, or someone who simply cares, there’s a place for you in this movement. Let’s fight hunger, reduce waste, and bring hope together.
Welcome to Food for Thought, the official blog of Food Aid Foundation. We’re so glad you’re here!