
UAE Food Bank to provide 7 million meals during Ramadan
More from Local
By ARN News Staff
The UAE Food Bank, has launched the 'United in Giving' initiative to provide seven million meals to those in need during Ramadan.
The initiative is being held under the guidance and supervision of Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum and falls under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), aims to promote sustainable food management, reduce wastage, and encourage community participation in charitable efforts.
The initiative comprises three key sub-initiatives: 'Blessing Baskets', which focuses on distributing over 200,000 meals daily in the form of food donations, parcels, and surplus meals; 'Zabeel Iftar', an initiative providing Iftar meals for over 3,000 workers; and 'Surplus of Good', an awareness programme that educates the community on innovative and sustainable ways to repurpose surplus food.
Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the UAE Food Bank, Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, highlighted that: ''United in Giving' reflects the UAE's deeply-rooted values of generosity and compassion. It serves as a call to action for individuals, institutions, and philanthropists to contribute to the welfare of millions. This initiative aligns with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai to position the UAE as a global leader in humanitarian and charitable work while fostering a culture of giving and social responsibility.'
He added: 'Under the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, the UAE Food Bank remains committed to collecting, managing, and distributing surplus food to the widest possible number of beneficiaries worldwide. The initiative operates within a sustainable humanitarian framework that ensures the continuity of charitable efforts, alleviates suffering, and strengthens social solidarity. By minimising food waste and loss, the initiative also contributes to positive environmental impact.'
Under the guidance and supervision of Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Supreme Chairperson of the UAE Food Bank, the Bank has launched the 'United in Giving' initiative to provide seven million meals to those in need during Ramadan. The initiative, aims… pic.twitter.com/Q1RUVXZxSS
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 5, 2025
The 'Blessing Baskets' initiative aims to distribute over 200,000 meals daily throughout Ramadan, which will be collected through food donations and parcels from retail stores, food establishments, manufacturers, and suppliers, while surplus cooked and uncooked food from hotels, restaurants, corporate donors, and individuals will also be gathered and distributed to beneficiaries.
This process will be carried out in coordination with charitable organisations and public and private sector partners, ensuring that food reaches those most in need across the UAE.
The 'Zabeel Iftar' initiative will provide Iftar meals for over 3,000 workers, reflecting the UAE Food Bank's commitment to social solidarity and recognising the contributions of the blue-collar workforce.
The 'Surplus of Good' programme, a collaboration between the UAE Food Bank and Fatafeat TV, will promote creative and sustainable methods of repurposing surplus food.
As part of the initiative's objectives, the UAE Food Bank will expand partnerships through 12 cooperation agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with government entities, private sector partners, humanitarian organisations, food institutions, hotels, and corporate contributors.
Coming Up on Dubai Eye
The Music Mix
11:00pm - 6:00am
Enjoy your favourite music back to back commercial free, tune in to the Music Mix everyday from 1 until 2 for the music you love and the news updates you need
The Business Breakfast
6:00am - 10:00am
The Business Breakfast is the day's must listen for the UAE's business leaders, and those who aspire to be.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit to the USA
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit to the US to boost economic and technology ties including AI.
New iPhone Launch - Too Soon For Apple?
Apple Inc. shares fell Monday after a closely followed analyst warned that demand for the firm's new iPhone 16 Pro model has been lower than expected. Is this a sign that the AI software just isn't ready?
Working From Home or Hardly Working?
Does working from home kill productivity or can it benefit staff by giving them more flexibility and a better work/life balance?
On Dubai Eye
Is There Sufficient House Supply In UAE
Dubai's current population is more than double compared to almost twenty years ago, which now stands at 3.7 million. Lots of families are also moving to the UAE now. So what does it mean for the property market?
Noon's First Female Delivery Driver
Glory Ehirim Nkiruka is Noon's first ever female delivery driver. In her first ever interview, she explained why she loves her job, despite the heat!
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Sharjah 24
07-08-2025
- Sharjah 24
Family and Community Council: Umbrella unites community entities
In a phone call to the "Direct Line" program, broadcast on Sharjah Radio and Television, Her Highness Sheikha stated that the journey will continue whether carried out by us or others. It is recognized that the family serves as the nucleus of society. To reform the family, it is essential for society to be righteous. This requires beginning with the cleaning of the soil to remove impurities and elements that could harm crops, preparing it for planting. Subsequently, the focus shifts to planting 'seeds,' referring to our children, both sons and daughters, who represent the country's future. After planting, it is important to care for these plants, ensuring they are in a proper, clean environment free of obstacles. Continuous nurturing and monitoring of these seeds occur day after day, week after week, and year after year. August 7, 2025, marks 25 years of nurturing the planted seeds, and as a result, each seed has become an individual capable of planting new seeds in the future. Therefore, the work of this foundation continues and remains sustainable." 40 years of serving individuals and society Her Highness added, 'In response to the life changes that require a deeper focus on individual development and enhancing their role within family and societal frameworks, and after a comprehensive and integrated study of the aspirations of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, we announce today, with God's blessing, the launch of a new government facility under the name of the Sharjah Family and Community Council.' Her Highness continued, 'Under this council, a coalition of government institutions is dedicated to supporting families and their members by fostering both intellectual and physical skills, as well as safeguarding them from influences that could harm their faith, culture, and national identity. This approach has been in place for the past 40 years, and we continue to invest in our people. It is a vision championed by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah. Beginning with a single idea and the establishment of the Al Montazah Girls Club, we have made a positive impact in homes across our community, nurturing artists, creators, leaders, writers, media professionals, athletes, and many others. Our services go beyond just families; they extend to the entire community, fostering a more conscious society. Recognizing our interdependence, we have initiated the creation of an umbrella organization to enhance the collaboration and efforts of these institutions, uniting them under one entity— the Family and Community Council.' Investment projects in Sharjah Hospitality Services Group 'The Sharjah Family and Community Council oversees a new initiative we recently launched: the Sharjah Hospitality Services Group. This group will encompass prominent hospitality institutions, such as the Sharjah Ladies Club and the Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre. We have plans for future investment projects that will integrate into this group, marking an exciting addition to our existing institutions. Our accumulated experience positions us well to expand investments that cater to community needs. This initiative is designed to benefit the community directly, as a portion of the proceeds will support various humanitarian, developmental, and community initiatives. Our goal is to promote sustainable development and create a brighter, more prosperous future for all. Ultimately, we aim to place the Emirate of Sharjah on the global economic map, attracting suitable investments along the way,' Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi said. "Flexible" plans to suit a rapidly changing era Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed concluded her remarks by stating, "The sons and daughters of Sharjah represent our future and the enduring hope we strive for. We have faith in our youth's capability to propel development across all its facets, as we nurture conscientious and impactful leaders dedicated to serving the community. We live in an era of rapid change; therefore, our plans must remain flexible and adaptable for the greater good of society. Thankfully, we are now witnessing the fruits of our efforts over the past decades. With these gratifying results and the growth of our institutions, we continue to strive for more for Sharjah. These institutions have been established to endure, regardless of who leads them. This is my utmost wish for my sons and daughters. I extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all the employees of these institutions for their unwavering dedication and sincerity in their work, consistently striving to provide the best for these esteemed institutions that serve the Emirate of Sharjah and the United Arab Emirates. I congratulate them on every step they take."


Gulf Today
31-07-2025
- Gulf Today
The cold truth
While still living in the village of Chemlan in Lebanon's Chouf mountains, we had an old-fashioned wooden ice cream bucket with a handle to turn a tall metal container. We used to put our ice cream mixture into the container, place it in the bucket, surround it with ice sprinkled with salt and turn until frozen. Homemade ice cream was far more delicious and fun than driving to the town of Aley where a shop sold twenty types of ice cream, including yellow melon and mulberry as well as standard flavours vanilla and chocolate. We left the bucket behind when we became refuges in Cyprus during Lebanon's civil war. Several years ago, I was in Damascus' ancient Souq al Hamadiyah waiting for a shopkeeper to wrap up a parcel when I saw a riotous gathering further down the street. I wondered if this was a political or economic protest as Syria was experiencing hard times and went to see what was happening. The 'riot' was outside the Bakdash parlour where customers had gathered to buy ice cream. Founded in 1895, Bakdash is famous for its traditional mastic-flavoured ice cream manually churned with wooden paddles. The milk-cream-mastic mixture was initially chilled with ice brought from the mountains. In 2013, Bakdash opened a branch in Amman to serve Syrians settled there and the wider community. Earlier I had witnessed a smaller crowd at an ice cream parlour in the residential Karrada quarter of Baghdad. During May 2017, this proved to be a deadly location when a Daesh suicide bomber killed 26 people and wounded dozens as they broke the Ramadan fast with ice cream. While in Aleppo in Syria, I have always paused at Mahrosa to enjoy a dish of milk pudding topped with vanilla ice cream sprinkled with crushed pistachios. My driver, Joseph, could not visit Aleppo without this ice cream fix at this parlour although there are dozens more ice cream shops in the city, Syria's commercial hub. Ice cream has long been a global food just as coffee has become a global beverage. While coffee, which originated in Yemen, is prepared and served in multiple ways, the basic ice cream recipe is the same. It includes milk, cream, and sugar and multiple flavourings and fruits. Frozen desserts long predate coffee. Historians suggest they first appeared in 550BC in Persia, which had a very sophisticated and advanced civilisation. A first century AD Roman cookbook included recipes for deserts chilled with snow. Between the 8th-12th centuries the Japanese made a desert with flavoured syrup and ice shaved from blocks stored during the winter months. During China's Tang dynasty (618-907) a frozen goat's milk dish frozen called 'susan' became popular. During the Yuan dynasty (1206-1368), imperial chefs made another frozen dessert called 'iced cheese' flavoured with fruit, honey and wine. Legend holds that Moghul Emperor Kublai Khan gave the recipe to the Italian Silk Road traveller Marco Polo (1254-1324) who took it back to Italy. In the 16th century, India's Moghul rulers brought ice from the Hindu Kush mountains to make kulfi, a dish made with cream flavoured with saffron, cardamom, rose water, or mango which remains popular today in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Gulf. The 17th century saw ice cream introduced to France and England while the confection crossed the Atlantic to North America and was consumed by founding fathers of the United States George Washington, Tomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. In 1866, ice cream reached New Zealand. Ice cream became popular around the world during the first half of the 20th century after hosts of vendors produced and promoted their own varieties. Ice cream has even become a political weapon in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Ben & Jerry's, founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in 1978 in the US state of Vermont has become a global brand. In July 2021, Ben & Jerry's announced it would end sales in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory and Israeli settlements which are illegal under international law. Ben & Jerry's argued sales in Palestinian lands is inconsistent with the values of the firm which supports a number of charities as well as action to counter global warming. The Republican Trump administration is currently using ice cream imports as a means to condemn rival Democrats. The office of the US Trade Representative wrote on July 20 on X, 'America had a trade surplus in ice cream in 2020 under President [Donald] Trump's leadership, but that surplus turned into a trade deficit of $40.6 million under President [Joe] Biden's watch.' The ice cream deficit is with Japan, South Africa, the European Union, Brazil, Canada, and Turkey. Although from these countries, imports count for a small portion of ice cream consumed in the US which remains a major exporter. From 1995 to 2020, ice cream exports earned the US from $20 million to $160 million, according to the online platform Observatory of Economic Complexity. The chief customers were Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Canada. In 2021 and 2022 the surplus disappeared and an ice cream deficit of $92 million and $32 million appeared. Italy has become the chief provider of imported ice cream. However, imports amounted to a tiny fraction, 0.18 per cent of the total, in 2024 while the US exported about 1 percent of total domestic production, 1.31 billion gallons during that year. Meanwhile, US individual consumption of ice cream has fallen from 8.3 kilos a year in 1975 to 5.3 kilos by 2023. Photo: Reuters


Middle East Eye
24-07-2025
- Middle East Eye
Gaza: This 12-year-old dreams of combing her hair again after surviving an Israeli attack
Twelve-year-old Hala Shukri Dehliz was playing with her friends on a swing in Gaza one evening during Ramadan, even as the constant sounds of war raged in the background. Suddenly, an Israeli air strike detonated near the swing. Its force twisted the metal chains around her head, tearing off parts of her scalp along with her hair. 'My hair got stuck with the swing,' she recalls. 'The skin of my head was removed. I was rushed to the hospital. I stayed there for two months, but they couldn't treat me. The inflammations and ulcers only got worse.' The first day they did surgery, they used 175 stitches to close her scalp. 'I woke up and saw myself without hair. I had a breakdown and fainted. My parents tried to reassure me. They said, 'Don't be afraid. You'll travel and get treatment. Your hair will grow again.' But I kept crying.' New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Before the bombing, Hala had prepared for Eid with excitement. 'I had bought ties for my hair and Eid clothes,' she says, her voice breaking. 'But I spent Eid in a hospital bed. I didn't feel the joy. I didn't wear the clothes. I was just... there.' 'We have been displaced six times' Hala's father, Shukri Omar Eid Dehliz, speaks with the fatigue of a man shouldering the unbearable. 'We are originally from Rafah. We have been displaced six times. Our home was bombed and demolished. Each place we went, we could only stay for 20 days, a month, sometimes two. Now, we're in Khan Younis, al-Mawasi, living in a tent near the sea.' Their tent stands on rented land they can 'barely afford'. Hala Shukri Dehliz in Gaza with her siblings (Eman Alhaj Ali/MEE) 'Winter brings floods inside the tent. Summer is unbearable. There's no electricity, no solar panels. Even basic food is missing,' he said. There is no bread. No medicine. No safety. 'Hala can't even take painkillers,' he says. 'She needs to eat before taking them, but there's no food. We survive on aid - mostly lentil soup. Every child gets one small plate per day. That's it. 'We are a family of seven. Some days we have only two pieces of bread. We divide them among us. The children cry for food. I have nothing to give them. It's a cruelty no parent should face. My child begs for bread, and I can't provide it. Sometimes, we just want to die instead of continuing this life in Gaza.' A mirror without reflection Hala's daily routine is now confined to the interior of a suffocating tent. She isolates herself from other children who react to her scarred head with confusion and fear. 'When I try to go outside, the children ask why I don't have hair. They get scared. So I stay inside. I play alone. I try to write and draw myself,' she says softly. 'When I try to go outside, the children ask why I don't have hair. They get scared. So I stay inside. I play alone' - Hala Shukri Dehliz 'Every day, I stand in front of the mirror trying to comb my hair. But there is no hair to comb.' Hala was a top student, dreaming of becoming a doctor - dreams now paused by trauma and the physical pain of untreated wounds. 'I was always the first in my class,' she remembers. 'I used to wake up early, comb my hair, go to school, then play with my friends. Now, I don't go to school. I look in the mirror and I just see loss.' She still keeps a lock of her long brown hair, holding it as a reminder of who she was, and who she hopes to become again. 'I want to travel abroad and get treatment. I want to have my hair again. I want to play with my friends. I want to feel pretty again.' 'Gaza is starving to death' Hala's father speaks in anguish about the daily torment and mounting famine which has in recent weeks led to a growing number of deaths from malnutrition and dehydration. 'There's no flour, no rice, no milk or vegetables. Even when there's food in the market, the prices are too high for us. My four-year-old cries for bread. I can't bear it.' He recounts how their lives have shrunk into a punishing cycle of fear, hunger and helplessness. Former UN aid chief: Israel committing 'worst crime of the 21st century' in Gaza Read More » 'The bombs fall constantly. The children scream in terror. Gaza is in a state of disaster. We are unemployed. The borders are closed. No aid is coming in. As parents, we demand the world to act. This genocide must stop. 'We are not asking for luxury. We are asking for the basics - bread, water, medicine. We are asking for a chance for our children to live.' Hala's story is not an isolated tragedy. She is one of tens of thousands of children injured or killed in a war that has erased homes, schools and playgrounds, as well as whole families. Border closures have blocked any attempt to evacuate her for treatment. Her parents - both injured in separate attacks - desperately try to find sterile gauze, clean water and food to support her healing. 'She needs daily medical care,' says her mother, Mayada. 'She cries every day, remembering her hair. Her head is still full of ulcers and infections. If she doesn't get out soon, it will get worse.' Despite everything, Hala said she still dreams of a hospital bed in a foreign country where doctors will help her scalp heal. She dreams of brushing her hair and even one day becoming a doctor. 'I hope the world hears me. I hope someone helps me travel. I want my hair back. I want to be beautiful again.'