Aire Johanson, food aid adviser at the Ministry of Social Affairs, said the value of this year's procurement has decreased by just under €1 million. While the previous contract was worth nearly €4 million, the new one is valued at €3 million. The number of people in need has fallen from its 2022 peak, primarily because fewer people under temporary protection now require assistance.

However, based on current estimates, the number of people needing donated food aid is more likely to increase than decrease in the future, Johanson said. For that reason, the new procurement has been designed to meet higher anticipated demand. She explained that because the number of recipients has declined, funds remain from the previous contract and can be redirected to the new one.

Donated food aid is available to people facing financial hardship. Eligibility must be confirmed by a local government social worker. The criteria for receiving subsistence benefits are the same throughout Estonia, but the social benefits and services offered by local governments may differ, as each municipality establishes its own rules.

Under the procurement terms, recipients must receive donated food aid at least twice a month. "If a person has particularly extensive needs, they may receive food aid every week," Johanson said.

The Estonian Food Bank is the official partner responsible for distributing donated food under the current contract. The Ministry of Social Affairs has several expectations for the next service provider. According to Johanson, the most important requirement is that food aid be distributed at least twice a month in every county seat across Estonia. "And weekly where necessary," she added.

Each food parcel must weigh between 5 and 9 kilograms (11 and 20 pounds) at a minimum. While previous procurements specified a fixed parcel size, the new contract allows the size of the parcels to be adjusted according to the number of recipients.

"Every quarter, we inform the service provider how large a food parcel we will pay for during the following quarter," Johanson said. In practice, however, the parcels are usually larger than the minimum requirement. "We pay for a fixed number of kilograms," she explained. Depending on the volume of donated food available, the parcels may be significantly larger.

The availability of donated food varies across Estonia. More food is donated in Tallinn and Tartu, while donations are lower in some other regions.

This year, the Ministry of Social Affairs also wants the service provider to develop and implement regional initiatives that help integrate people experiencing financial hardship into community life, particularly older adults, people living alone and the unemployed. The goal is to reduce social isolation, improve people's ability to cope independently and encourage volunteer involvement.

For example, members of the target groups could help assemble food parcels and distribute them to recipients. Training sessions could also be organized to teach people how to prepare meals using rescued food. Food distribution points could also host social workers and debt counselors to provide recipients with additional support.

According to Johanson, the greatest current risk is whether there will be enough donated food for everyone who needs it. The Ministry of Climate is preparing amendments to the Waste Act, one of whose aims is to reduce food waste.

"We very much hope that stores will donate more food instead of throwing it away," Johanson said.

The procurement is co-financed by the European Union.

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