A Bank worth more than its weight in Gold

# What this story covers Banque Alimentaire Luxembourg is a food bank started in 2001 that aims to prevent hunger by collecting non-perishable food and supplying it to social organisations in Luxembourg. The organisation runs on volunteer labour, supermarket collection campaigns and a small warehouse operation that packs and stages parcels for distribution.

Origins and legal status

The initiative began with Lions Club Luxembourg International together with the Luxembourg Health and Social Welfare League (LMS), the Red Cross and Banque Alimentaire Brabant Wallon in 2001. In 2017 the association became a registered charity, which made donations tax-deductible for donors.

Scale and daily rhythm

Around 2,200 people receive a Banque Alimentaire food parcel each week. Volunteers work in a 180 m² warehouse in Windhof provided by removals company Streff. Every Thursday the team ensures that the correct number of parcels, tailored by household composition, are packed and ready for collection by partner social organisations.

What goes into a parcel

Parcels contain non-perishable staples intended to enable balanced meals: pasta, rice, tinned food, cereals, long-life milk, cartons of soup and similar items. When a parcel is going to a household with children, volunteers try to include a small treat such as sweets, chocolate or Nutella.

How distribution works

Volunteer-led collections in supermarkets

Role of Lions Clubs and local businesses

Luxembourg's Lions Clubs are central to collection efforts, often working with local businesses. Volunteers say donors sometimes arrive with large trolley-loads of food or premium, regional and organic items. Collectively, the Lions Clubs and occasional business partners gather roughly 70 tonnes of non-perishable food each year.

Volunteer organisation and transparency

Practical takeaways

• Donors can give non-perishable food at supermarket collection points or through organised drives.
• Parcels are configured by household makeup and include staples plus occasional treats for children.
• Registered charity status allows tax relief for donors since 2017.

Banque Alimentaire Luxembourg runs a lean, volunteer-focused operation to supply weekly food parcels to social organisations in Luxembourg, relying on supermarket drives and community partnerships to sustain year-round stocks.