Zero Waste For Zero Hunger
Food waste and hunger are two closely linked global problems. Probably the greatest challenges of our time! Worldwide, 2.5 billion tons of food are wasted every year – enough to feed all hungry people three times over. In Germany alone, that's 18 million tons of food per year, half of it wasted at home. Meanwhile, 828 million people worldwide suffer from hunger, the majority of them children.
SIRPLUS co-founder Raphael Fellmer's vision is a world where everyone has enough to eat. Since 2009, Raphael has been working towards this goal, and with the foodsharing movement he initiated in 2012, he created one of the largest volunteer-based movements dedicated to zero waste. Over 400,000 people have since rescued more than 190 million kilograms of food through 11 million pickups from 16,000 businesses in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). But he took his dream of making food rescue even more convenient and accessible to everyone even further with the founding of SIRPLUS in 2017.
What is SIRPLUS about?
Since its founding, SIRPLUS has been committed to Zero Waste for Zero Hunger . Together with 150,000 customers, we have provided over 500,000 meals in Africa. For every order, we fund a meal for a child. Since May 2024, we've even funded two school meals per order, thanks to Mary's Meals ! In December, we'll donate five school meals per order, and if we reach 2,000 school meals, we'll donate ten. Mary's Meals has been effectively working towards zero hunger for almost 30 years and has already provided over 3 billion school meals in some of the world's poorest regions since its inception.
Everyone can become part of this movement – through support, participation, and spreading awareness that food rescue and fighting hunger go hand in hand. Together, we can make Zero Hunger a reality. The UN aims to end global hunger by 2030. After initial successes in the fight against hunger, the number of people suffering from hunger has skyrocketed again in recent years. This makes it all the more important to tackle this global catastrophe today: every meal helps, every order from SIRPLUS helps reduce food waste , increase appreciation for food, and feed children.
Together we can give the children of this world a chance at education and self-realization. Together we can achieve more! Therefore, a huge thank you to all the volunteers and supporters of Mary's Meal for your amazing work and to all SIRPLUS customers for your support!
Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, founder of Mary's Meals, in conversation with SIRPLUS co-founder Raphael Fellmer
Watch the interview with Raphael and Mary's Meals founder Magnus here !
In a world where many live in abundance while others go hungry, Mary's Meals pursues a clear vision: Every child should receive a meal at school every day.
With a simple yet powerful approach, the organization connects people worldwide to give hope and a future to children in need.
Together against hunger: Education and nutrition as the key
For millions of children worldwide, hunger means not only physical suffering but also a missed opportunity for education. Mary's Meals puts these children at the heart of its work. A daily hot meal at an educational institution transforms lives: children can concentrate better in class, stay in school longer, and pursue their dreams with renewed energy.
But Mary's Meals goes beyond the here and now. The organization works to break the cycle of hunger and poverty in the long term. This is achieved through targeted partnerships with communities, schools, and volunteers who ensure that meals are freshly prepared and distributed locally.
A worldwide movement: Every contribution counts
Mary's Meals is more than a charity – it's a movement that unites people regardless of nationality, religion, or culture. In countries like Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Croatia, Austria, Switzerland, and the USA, countless volunteers dedicate themselves to advancing this mission.
Whether through monetary donations, funding for food, or providing time for practical support on-site: every contribution counts. It is particularly impressive that Mary's Meals works with thousands of volunteers worldwide who realize the vision with passion and dedication.
The organization's strength lies in the sum of many small acts. These small, voluntary gifts combine to create something great and bring hope to millions of children.
Sustainable change for children and communities
Mary's Meals' work has clear goals: to feed children, enable them to attend school, and improve their long-term life prospects. The school meals motivate children and parents to see education as the key to change.
Regular reviews show that Mary's Meals' programs are effective:
- Improved health and well-being of children
- Higher enrollment rates and better school attendance
- Long-term development of the communities where the meals are distributed
These positive effects extend beyond the children. The programs strengthen local structures, foster community, and often support the regional economy, as the necessary food is frequently sourced locally. School feeding programs, such as Mary's Meals, are considered one of the most effective and cost-efficient methods for combating hunger and poverty. By specifically supporting girls and boys, the organization enables equal opportunities and better future prospects for all.
Give hope, effect change
Mary's Meals is living proof that even simple concepts can achieve great things. With every meal provided in a school, a new horizon opens up for children who would otherwise be trapped in poverty.
Together we can make a difference. Whether through donations, volunteering, or spreading the word – every action counts. Together we can help ensure that every child in the world has enough to eat and receives an education.
Let us carry on the vision of Mary's Meals: Every child deserves a meal, an education and the chance for a better future.
We at SIRPLUS are grateful and proud to have such an inspiring partner as Mary's Meals in the fight against hunger. Thanks to our collaboration, we fund two school meals for children in need with every order. Currently, we're going even further: as part of a special campaign, we're donating ten school meals per order. So with every purchase, you're not only saving food, but also helping to give children access to education and a real chance at a better future.
