Sven Lillepalu, communications manager at the Estonian Food Bank, told ERR that the quantities of donated and rescued food generally reflect changes occurring in the economy, but the volume of goods reaching the Food Bank has remained more or less stable.

"Last year's volumes were indeed slightly below those of the previous year," he added.

An average of approximately 17,500 people receive weekly food assistance through the Food Bank — a figure that has remained relatively stable in recent years. Last year, the Food Bank collected and distributed 4.4 million kilograms of food.

Lillepalu explained that donations reaching the Food Bank mainly come from three sources — 80 percent comes from retail, 15 percent from producers and importers and 5 percent from private individual donations. This ratio has likewise remained roughly the same over the years.

He noted that the Estonian Food Bank cooperates with most of the country's retail chains, producers and importers, but even so, they are constantly on the hunt for new partners.

"We accept any kind of help — whether donations or, for example, volunteers," he said. "Our daily operations rely on our dedicated volunteers, around 400 of whom help out with us weekly. We also work closely with large companies here, whose employees often volunteer with us in groups; some of them have been doing that for years."

Baked goods, fruits and vegetables make up the majority of food donations the Food Bank receives, due to their short shelf life, but the communications manager said they receive all kinds of goods.

"Including shelf-stable food items like pasta, rice and other dry goods, as well as canned food," he added.

Food box contents vary based on donations

Lillepalu confirmed that all food received by the Estonian Food Bank is distributed to those in need — distributed directly through 16 food banks across the country as well as through more than 270 cooperating charitable organizations.

Lists of recipients in need of food aid are sent to the Food Bank weekly by local government social workers tasked with assessing their assistance needs. He stressed that the Food Bank itself does not determine who does or doesn't qualify for their aid.

"A few times a year, we'll use money from our donors to order shelf-stable food items — mainly pasta and other dry goods, cooking oil, canned food and such," Lillepalu noted.

"When making up food boxes, we aim for as much variety as possible," he continued. "But we're still directly dependent on the food donated to us, so the contents of the food boxes will vary from week to week, depending on what's been donated at the time."

In recent years, the Food Bank's revenues have decreased.

"Our revenues also reflect societal and economic developments," Lillepalu said. "Charity is usually one of the first things people cut back on in hard times, and that is completely understandable."

Estonia's first Food Bank, the Tallinn Food Bank, was founded in 2010.

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