Founded in 2012 by a group of students from Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, Hanoi Food Rescue (HFR) has been feeding the needy ever since. Currently, their program has expanded to numerous high schools across Hanoi such as Chu Van An High School, Foreign Language ​​Specialized School.

The group wants to start a food bank for the underprivileged and raise awareness in the community about not wasting food. They aim to engage members in charitable activities while creating a welcoming work atmosphere.

As of 2023, Hanoi Food Rescue has distributed about 82,000 meals to more than 30,000 people in difficult circumstances. The food was collected from 30 restaurants, hotels, and bakeries, such as L’Opera Hotel, Trong Dong Palace, and Paris Deli.

The small meals alleviated the worries of those in need while showing the generosity and enthusiasm of young people under the age of twenty. They prove their willingness to partly impact society, their sense of responsibility to the community, and their willingness to help the poor.

Additionally, they also want to reduce the growing problem of food waste in Vietnam. Every year, Vietnam wastes about 8.8 billion tons of food, ranking second in the Asia-Pacific region, resulting in an annual loss of about US$3.9 billion. About 87% of Vietnamese households admit to wasting at least two plates of food every week, according to Food Bank Vietnam. While a segment of the population remains hungry, a large amount of valuable food from restaurants and hotels is wasted.

To ensure the quality of the meals, they are careful in sourcing food from restaurants and hotels. Reputation, prestige, food hygiene, and safety were top priorities.

“Even though these meals are free, we want them to be fresh and nutritious,” Duong shared.

The food containers are made from sugarcane bagasse, a material that can decompose on its own.

Nguyen Trung Thanh, a member of the group and an 11th grade student at the Foreign Language Specialized High School, told The Hanoi Times: “We want to convey the message of joining hands to build a green planet by changing the smallest things in our lifestyles.”

Group members are assigned to distribute food according to their schedules so that this activity does not interfere with their daily studies and activities.

Periodically, the group will hold stocktaking meetings to evaluate the implementation, overcome difficulties, and propose long-term development plans for the organization.

In addition to the weekly food delivery activities, HFR also organizes two major annual events, such as Tet Donation, a donation event to support the poor during the Lunar New Year, and The Hunger Games, a summer campaign to raise awareness of sustainable development among the younger generation.

The group has also organized many other events to spread positive values ​​to society, such as Mid Autumn's Giving, Help For Resident, and others.

However, the group has encountered numerous challenges in the process of providing food to underprivileged areas, most of which are due to the young age of the children and their lack of life experience and skills.

Looking back on an unforgettable memory, Thanh shared that the group struggled to bring food to the Disabled Youth Club of Vuon Huong Duong in Tay Ho district due to the long distance of nearly 14km. Lack of life experience and the ability to handle unexpected changes make it difficult for the group to complete the mission.

The assignment took a long time to finish since we got lost. It was a fascinating experience, a lesson we will never forget, and it inspired us to keep up our activities," Thanh said.

Finding reputable food suppliers is another challenge, especially with the decrease in food leftovers and the increase in food safety regulations.

“Finding trustworthy food suppliers with food hygiene and safety certifications takes a lot of time and work. This makes us appreciate and take pride in our work even more,” Duong told The Hanoi Times.

Other challenges, such as inclement weather and busy college schedules, complicate their work. However, the group continues to persevere with its passion for this meaningful work.

“Despite the difficulties, we always uphold our responsibility and mission to the community. The words of gratitude, hugs, and smiles from those who received the meals motivate us even more, arousing the spirit of overcoming difficulties to bring meaningful meals to everyone," said the team leader.

Nguyen Ba Phan, a brain tumor patient at Thanh Nhan Hospital, Hanoi expressed his appreciation for the work of the HFR members.

Many organizations and private enterprises have actively supported the group, such as the bagasse box from Hapobe Company. In addition, members of Hanoi Food Rescue have also made constant efforts to find food partners and connect with places in need of support.

Thanh said: "Many companies have offered us financial support and cooperation over the past 12 years of operation. Thanks to this great resource, the group has overcome many difficulties and developed until now."

Looking to the future, the members expect the group to further expand, as well as spread the spirit of not wasting food to more young people. The group also aims to boost cooperation with restaurants, hotels, and related organizations to help those in need in the city. They also plan to organize programs and events to raise public awareness about food waste.

Duong hopes that the values ​​and mission of Hanoi Food Rescue will spread to many other areas of the country, thereby promoting positive changes in the Vietnamese people's awareness of using food in a more sustainable and meaningful way.