Our NGO, the Basic Needs Association, whose existence we are always proud of and which fights against poverty and waste, has always crossed paths with the Global FoodBanking Network (GFN), the world’s largest food banking network, which helps 7 million people in need every year. The founding of TİDER began with a visit to Türkiye by GFN’s founding president, Bob Forney. Let me reiterate this: While managing a food retail company, I received a joint invitation from Aziz Akgül, then a member of parliament and the person who enacted the food banking law in 2004, and the retailer Metro. Numerous food and food retail companies attended the reception, held at the Hyatt Hotel.
At this dinner, held in honor of Bob Forney, president of the Global Foodbanking Network, we had the opportunity to hear about the concept of food banking for the first time. Ultimately, eight food companies and their representatives formed the Food Banking Association. From the outset, we positioned ourselves as the umbrella organization for food banking. From the parliamentarian who enacted the food banking law to numerous companies striving to ensure transparent, impartial, and sustainable social assistance, we received support. Later, in 2014, following a restructuring, we changed our name, bylaws, and modus operandi. We established a model that teaches people to fish while giving them fish. We began implementing our waste prevention vision. We’ve come a long way in these eight exciting years.
My articles about TİDER
For more information, I’d like to share my articles about TİDER:
http://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/soma-faciasi-ve-ilk-kalkinma-projemiz
http://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/yoksullukla-mucadelede-ideal-bir-model-destek-projesi
http://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/uc-yaraya-bir-merhem-destek-projesi-1
http://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/uc-yaraya-bir-merhem-destek-projesi-2
http://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/uc-yaraya-bir-merhem-destek-projesi-3
http://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/temel-ihtiyac-dernegi-tideri-anlamak
GFN’s Qualities
From day one, our paths have always crossed with GFN’s. They visited Türkiye. They even held a meeting there. I can share the following additional information about GFN:
- GFN is comprised of 30 countries and 791 food banks.
- 89% of the products they distribute consist of food and beverages. This means that 11% consists of hygiene and textile products.
- They also divide food into packaged and healthy food. 71% is considered nutritious.
- Only 13 of the 791 food banks make purchases.
- All 16 food banks have training programs for healthy eating.
- They provide an average of 57 kg of food bank produce to each person annually.
- They calculate one meal as approximately 2.5 kg.
A process accelerated by a historic innovation award
Last year, we achieved a historic success by winning GFN’s first innovation award, which it has presented since its founding. I would like to share two articles I wrote on this subject:
http://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/global-bir-stk-olma-yolundaki-tidere-buyuk-odul
http://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/buyuk-odulu-izleyen-macera-ve-kutlamalar
This innovation award is a tremendous achievement for the Turkish NGO community. Consider this: at a time when negative perceptions of Türkiye are spreading, we won this award for a topic other than food banking: our human resources model (Support HR), without having full membership status in the GFN. Over 70 food banking professionals chose us despite seven other strong candidates. By receiving GFN’s first innovation award, we not only made history but also strengthened our relationships.
Ultimately, after winning this award, both TİDER and GFN mutually agreed, “Now, our full membership process needs to begin.” We acted on common ground and with consensus, and after a rigorous documentation and institutional due diligence process, they informed us of the good news this month.
The benefits of full membership and access to global opportunities
We are now officially a full member of the GFN. Moreover, we achieved this with our status as Türkiye’s umbrella organization. With this international accreditation, we have solidified our place as the umbrella organization for food banking in Türkiye. Any food bank opening in our country that wants to operate at international standards will be required to become a member and adhere to our established standards.
To elaborate further, as a TİDER member, they will benefit from all the opportunities provided to member organizations by the Global Food Banking Network. They will receive support from global companies that donate products to food banks worldwide, benefit from all of GFN’s food banking training materials, exchange information with other food banks worldwide, and apply for their grant programs.
All food banks and companies participating in the TİDER network will also benefit from the benefits derived from GFN.
The honor of being among global thought leaders
I can express my personal feelings as follows: As a result of our continuous development since 2010, we are delighted and proud to have earned the official membership certificate as Türkiye’s umbrella organization in the Global Food Banking Network (GFN), which includes food banks from every continent. With our membership in the Global Food Banking Network and the innovation award we won last year, we have become a leading think tank in the field of food banking. Our most important goal now, leveraging the existing strength and support of the GFN, is to offer concrete and creative solutions in the fight against poverty and waste, and to ensure that social assistance in our country is established on a solid foundation and reaches high standards through collaboration between the public, NGO, and private sectors.
As the umbrella organization for food banking in Türkiye, we invite all civil society organizations that create or seek to create social benefits through food banking to join the TİDER Network to share our knowledge, experience, and donations of the bare necessities!
If you’re unfamiliar with TİDER and don’t have time to read the articles above, you can find our summary of TİDER below:
ABOUT TİDER
The Basic Needs Association (TİDER) is a civil society organization that combats poverty and waste with a holistic model and creates concrete solutions by bringing a comprehensive perspective to food banking. TİDER shares usable food, cleaning products, and clothing saved from waste on the shelves of its “Support Markets” with families on the poverty line. With its unique model, awarded by the Global FoodBanking Network, it helps families in need stand on their own feet. It works with family members who want to work to help them find employment or start their own businesses. It also provides individuals with access to lasting solutions for other problems they face by directing them to specialized NGOs and public institutions with which it collaborates. Aware that the problems brought about by poverty are not limited to the lack of the basic necessities, TİDER acts with the responsibility of expanding the benefits of food banking and expanding this model, both in Türkiye and increasingly globally. Developed for this purpose, the Destek Cloud platform brings together member food banks and product donors, creating a large-scale solution to combat waste. Meanwhile, through another software it developed, the Destek HR platform, it connects job seekers in need with employers looking for blue-collar employees. With its waste prevention model, TİDER; It aims to complete the natural cycle by ensuring that the products donated by food producers, wholesalers, and retailers reach food banks (e.g., Support Markets), animal shelters or volunteers, and biogas or compost facilities through a matrix system.
I’d like to take this opportunity to announce that I’ve completed my last article for this month and will be taking a break in August. I wish all my readers a wonderful holiday season and wish everyone a happy Eid al-Adha. See you in September.
Stay Healthy
