Thekla Witte: heroine of the food rescue in Gifhorn!

Thekla Witte: heroine of the food rescue in Gifhorn!

In Gifhorn, where the idea of ​​conscious consumption is important every day, Thekla Witte is passionately involved in food sharing. Your mission? Food rescue in the truest sense of the word. Here she collects uneaten food from fairgoers and gives it away free of charge. This is all the more important since around 800,000 tons of food ended up in the trash in Germany alone in 2022, as the Federal Statistical Office reports. So it's high time to take action, and Witte does it brilliantly.

She has been part of the food sharing team in Gifhorn for four years, picking up fresh fruit, vegetables and other food under strict hygiene rules. The foodsharing.de platform connects food rescuers who can donate food both privately and commercially. Collection from companies is not without hurdles: a quiz and special training are required to ensure that everyone involved has a “good hand” for rescuing food.

A food safety network

Thekla Witte has now built a network that not only supplies customers adequately, but also ensures that the cold chain is maintained. The effectiveness of their work becomes apparent at various events in Gifhorn, such as the Christmas market or the old town festival. “The goal of food sharing is to make yourself superfluous,” explains Witte, adding that more reliable volunteers are wanted in order to continue to strengthen commitment in the region.

Food sharing volunteering plays an important role not only in food rescue, but also in education policy. Witte sees her work as an educational mission to raise awareness of the serious issues surrounding food waste. Food sharing is linked to other initiatives nationwide that pursue similar concerns: to promote awareness of sustainability and resource conservation.

The challenges of food rescue

But where there is light, there is also, as we know, shadow. Many concerned with food rescue often try containerizing, a legally problematic method that involves removing food from supermarket waste containers. The waste legally remains the property of the company and taking it away can be considered theft. However, it is legal to return surplus food via platforms such as food sharing, which also rely on collaboration with companies and social institutions to combat hunger and waste at the same time.

The food sharing movement has now developed into a community that saves millions of kilograms of food every year. With initiatives, workshops and strong social cooperation, the movement not only strengthens environmental protection, but also social cohesion. The goal? Radically minimizing food waste and promoting a sustainable lifestyle. There is a lot to do and everyone can do their part.

It remains to be said: In times of rising living costs and growing social inequality, voluntary work like Witte's is more important than ever. A change in awareness is required not only in Gifhorn, but everywhere in Germany - and everyone can help ensure that less ends up in the trash. Foodsharing is convinced that “edible food is a valuable resource”.

For more information on the food situation in Germany and the challenges of food rescue, we recommend taking a look at the reporting from WAZ Online, which takes a closer look at local perspectives, as well as the comprehensive overview of WDR and an exciting portrait of the club Houli Health.