Food Preservation Associations in Saudi Arabia

Food (Grace) Preservation Associations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are charitable and civil associations registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. These associations' main objective is to launch charitable projects to preserve grace, such as food and beverages, distribute them to beneficiaries, including individuals and families, and establish awareness campaigns for the community.

Arzaq Association for the Preservation of Grace covers Taif Governorate and its affiliated villages. It was registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development under the number (1299) in 2019. The association targets the poor and needy, widows, orphans, and individuals with limited income. It works to preserve surplus food from banquets and events, in addition to collecting and distributing appliances and furniture.

The association aims to achieve social solidarity, raise community awareness about the dangers of wastefulness, and emphasize the importance of preserving food. It focuses on managing surplus food from banquets, restaurants, and hotels and establishing community partnerships for its projects. Additionally, Arzaq recycles surplus food, furniture, appliances, and clothing in compliance with health and safety standards, promotes volunteer work, and offers training courses in the field of nutrition.

The association has adopted several projects, including 'Tadweer Project' (Recycling), aimed at receiving surplus appliances and clothing and recycling them. It also implemented 'At'imhum Project' (Feed Them), which is a food basket distributed monthly to beneficiary families. Additionally, Arzaq has developed 'Asqeehm Project' (Give Them Water), dedicated to collecting surplus water from events and distributing it to charitable organizations and worshipers.

Hefz al-Nema Community Association 'Istidamah' was established in 2013 in Jeddah Governorate, with approval from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, under license number (628). It was founded by a group of initiators to reduce waste and excess in food.

The association began with an initiative to collect surplus food from all events, implementing a safe and hygienic process through a one-day system. It also takes the initiative to gather excess food and clothing, while offering various programs aimed at preserving food. Additionally, Istidamah has developed solutions, initiatives, and social responsibility programs aimed at addressing individual behaviors to preserve food, including food, finances, time, health, education, and the environment. The association aims to study, analyze, and understand individual behaviors towards blessings, identifying both individual and societal behavioral challenges. It then designs and develops community programs, initiatives, and services to address these issues and preserve food.

Istidamah has implemented several projects, namely 'Iftar Million Sa'im' (Breakfast for One Million Fasting People), 'al-Silal al-Ghitha'iyyah' (Food Baskets), and 'Fa'id al-Taam' (Food Surplus) projects. It also focused on other tasks, such as sustainability in health, education, and the environment. Additionally, under 'Istidamat al-Ghithaa Project' (Food Sustainability), the association distributed about 9,075,330 meals and over 11,611 food baskets.

Khiyrat is a non-profit community association headquartered in the capital, Riyadh. The association has implemented several projects and initiatives, including handing out about 11,958,340 meals and benefiting over 1,869,069 families from its projects and activities.

Among the projects implemented is 'Sallat al-Khair Project' (Goods Basket). The association is keen to implement it in the provinces within its area of service. It includes a food basket filled with food supplies essential for daily life, or coupons that can meet the needs of underprivileged families, as a contribution from the association to relieve their struggles.

Furthermore, the association executed 'Iftar Sa'im Project,' which aims to purchase ready-made Iftar meals that meet health standards. These meals are transported by the association's vehicles, where a specialized field team receives and distributes them to beneficiaries, including the poor, widows, and orphans, as well as other charitable organizations.

Khiyrat also implemented 'al-Itaam al-Mutaharrek' Project (Mobile Feeding), using the association's equipped vehicles to collect surplus food, package and seal it, and deliver it to the homes of beneficiary families, as well as to the association's refrigerators distributed across mosques in Riyadh Province.

The association also launched 'At'imuni' Project (Feed Me), which focuses on preserving surplus food from banquet halls and hotels in Riyadh Province.

Founded in the capital, Riyadh, the association adopted a project to establish a fully integrated factory to achieve its goals. It allocated a total land area of nine thousand m in al-Kharj Industrial City for the project after completing the necessary technical, financial, and feasibility studies.

This project was initiated following studies that revealed 80 percent of surplus food is unfit for human consumption and ends up being discarded in landfills, causing significant environmental harm. Additionally, this represents a waste of valuable resources that could be repurposed through recycling, either as animal feed or as organic fertilizer for plants.

The association adopted a project aimed at preserving surplus food, protecting the environment, and reducing the negative impact of food waste. Additionally, the project is designed to generate financial returns for the association, which will contribute to the implementation of its plans, projects, and programs.

The association launched 'al-Maarad al-Mutanaqqel al-Tawaawi' (Mobile Awareness Exhibition) project, which aims to raise community awareness about the dangers of food waste. The exhibition travels through various neighborhoods in Riyadh City, offering a variety of activities and providing information and consultations to the public.

Furthermore, the association launched the 'Ikfal Sayyarat Hifz al-Nema' (Sponsor a Food Preservation Vehicle) project, allowing individuals to contribute to increasing the number of vehicles responsible for distributing food. This initiative followed partnerships and collaborations with hotels, restaurants, and event halls within Riyadh City, enabling the collection of surplus food from family events.

Zaaed is a non-profit association focused on leveraging surplus food. It is located in Ahad al-Masarihah Governorate in Jazan Province and was established in 2016. The association operates under the umbrella of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development with license number 1122.

The Zaaed Food Preservation Association has implemented various projects and initiatives to reduce food waste and encourage food preservation. These include distributing pamphlets to raise awareness about the importance of preserving food. The association has also organized initiatives to collect surplus vegetables, fruits, meals, and meats from establishments and individuals. Additionally, it participated in distributing meat to those in need as part of the meat distribution initiative supported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Project for Utilization of Hady and Adahi. Furthermore, the association has signed partnerships with restaurants, government entities, and other community organizations to preserve and benefit from surplus food in Ahad al-Masarihah Governorate.

Ekram Association for Food Preservation in Makkah al-Mukarramah is a charitable organization based in Makkah al-Mukarramah where it provides its services with a focus on preserving surplus food from banquets, wedding halls, and the surrounding towers of the Grand Mosque. The association collects, preserves, and reprocesses the food safely and hygienically before distributing it to the needy, orphans, and widows in Makkah al-Mukarramah. The association was established on May 30, 2017, under license number (1024).

The association has adopted several projects, including 'Itaam al-Ummar wal Zuwwar fi Makkah al-Mukarramah' (Feeding Pilgrims and Visitors in Makkah al-Mukarramah) project. This initiative focuses on collecting surplus high-quality, untouched food from banquet halls, lounges, and catering establishments, packaging it, and distributing it to beneficiaries, including Umrah pilgrims and visitors in Makkah al-Mukarramah. The association provides water to families, mosques, impoverished neighborhoods, and visitors to the Grand Mosque throughout the year through the 'Saqiya al-Balad al-Haram' (Giving Out Water in Makkah al-Mukarramah) project. This initiative is dedicated to preserving food, providing water, and supporting charitable feeding in Makkah. Additionally, the association has established the "Blessings Preservation Endowment," which is the first endowment in Makkah al-Mukarramah specifically focused on preserving food, providing water, and charitable feeding.

It is a non-profit, community-based association located in al-Bada'i Governorate, Qassim Province. The association focuses on preserving food by collecting surplus food from events, hotels, restaurants, and banquet halls and distributing it hygienically and cleanly to those in need. It also works to promote the culture of reducing waste and preserving food. The association was inaugurated on April 6, 2016.

Hifz al-Nema Association in al-Bada'i offers several charitable services, including collecting surplus food, as well as packaging, sealing, and preparing food. It also focuses on raising community awareness and educating the public about preserving food and reducing waste. The association places great emphasis on community partnerships by training volunteers, forming strategic alliances, and distributing surplus food.