From 22 September to 20 October 2024, the Le+O harvest collection (Le+O - food and orientation) will once again take place, collecting non-perishable foodstuffs such as rice, flour, sugar, oil and tinned food as well as hygiene articles in the parishes of the Vienna region and eastern Lower Austria. REWE Group has been a reliable logistics partner of Caritas of the Archdiocese of Vienna since 2012, transporting the donations from the parishes to the Caritas warehouse as part of the annual harvest thanksgiving collection. Thanks to the support of REWE Group and the dedicated parishes, an impressive 284,000 kilograms of food donations have been collected and distributed in recent years. The donations are passed on to a total of 15 Le+O food distribution centres which, in cooperation with Caritas and Viennese parishes, provide food to people in need on a weekly basis. The additional Ukraine special collection brings the total amount of food collected to date to 324,000 tonnes. During this period, food was collected from 1,504 parish locations.
REWE Group plays a central role in the logistics process: lorries bring the donated food - including sugar, rice, oil, tinned food, coffee and salt - safely and efficiently to the Caritas warehouse in the 21st district. This is done as part of the branch deliveries on the return journeys of the lorries in order to avoid empty runs and thus make a contribution to environmental protection.
Christian Hörner, Managing Director of Warehouse & Transport GmbH at REWE International AG: ‘The co-operation with Caritas is a core element of our social responsibility at REWE. Every year, the harvest collection enables us to provide practical and effective support. With every kilo of donated food that we transport, we make a valuable contribution to strengthening the community and combating poverty.’
Klaus Schwertner, Caritas Director: ‘There are few places where people's need is as visible as in our 15 Le+O food distribution centres. Every week, we distribute up to 20 tonnes of fresh, non-perishable food to people living in poverty. This support makes a very real difference to the lives of many families. The annual harvest collection helps us to meet the high demand. The heartfelt commitment of the more than 125 participating parishes and the great logistical support of REWE Group are key factors in the success of the collection. Many thanks for this.’
Auxiliary Bishop Franz Scharl: ‘Helping people in need is an excellent fit for the service of God in the footsteps of Jesus! This applies to the parishes as well as to each and every one of us.’
‘Le+O’: Sustainable support for households affected by poverty
The Le+O (Food and Orientation) project provides people living in poverty with food and advice. Fresh fruit and vegetables as well as basic foodstuffs such as bread, rice, pasta and dairy products are offered at 15 distribution points in Vienna and Lower Austria for a minimal contribution. It should be emphasised that Le+O also includes products that are not regularly marketed due to packaging or labelling defects and short expiry dates. This promotes both the fight against poverty and the sustainable use of food.
