In May 2022, we opened the Umbrella Point at ul. Batalionu AK “Parasol” 3a in Warsaw.
Here, we hand out food aid packages to people in need from Warsaw’s Wola district.
In the years 2022-2023, the point was run by us in partnership with the Kuroniówka Foundation. Starting in 2024, we have been running it ourselves, as the SOS Food Bank in Warsaw.
We collaborate with the Wola District Social Assistance Centre in the Capital City of Warsaw, which directs those in need to us.
Following the onset of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the “Umbrella Point” has also been helping refugees from that country.
The food items distributed by us come from donors.
In 2023, the Umbrella Point
- handed out food packages to 955 people
- these people received over 60,000 kilograms of food, which means that they were able to prepare over 120,000 meals!
- organised cooking workshops, conducted by Joanna Kuroń, Gaja Kuroń, and Jakub Kuroń of the Kuroniówka Foundation
- as a special campaign, we have been conducting support and psychology workshops for female refugees from Ukraine, pertaining to, among other things, handling their emotions, supporting their children amid the war-related crisis, and functioning in a different environment, as well as women’s self-development
- gave counsel pertaining to sources of financial aid, education and access thereto, as well as the healthcare system
- organised trips for Ukrainian children and their families – visiting museums, exhibitions, a hot chocolate shop, an entertainment park, and a zoo.
The support that we lent to Ukrainians in 2023 was possible owing to a grant by the Fondation de France. Owing to these funds, we were also able to give employment to two refugees from Ukraine.
Starting on 19 December 2023, our activities have also been aided financially by GLOVO; the company became a partner of the “Umbrella Point”.
In 2023, we also received support from:
- Lions Clubs International, District 121 Poland, in the form of food items
- the Kulczyk Foundation, which donated menstruation products
- Free Now, who aided us with their transportation services
- Rise Against Hunger Italia, who gave us access to food packages
- CrowdFarming, who donated fruits to us.
We also started collaboration with the French Embassy in Poland.
We received special thanks for our activities from Ukraine’s Ambassador to Poland, Mr. Vasyl Zvarych.
Opening the Umbrella Point in 2022 was possible owing to the financial and material support provided by our Partners: Ambition, Amica, Amso, Cargill, CHEP, the European Food Banks Federation, the Federation of Polish Food Banks, Fundacja BOŚ Bank, Fundacja Unum, the Delloitte Foundation, Free Now, Groupon, Lotte Wedel, Rohling Suus, Stalgast, Tefal, and by all those who donated 1.5% of their PIT money.
