A committee involving the Parish and local council of Mġarr is organising a food bank to help families worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Recent and on-going closures of businesses, brought about by the national measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus, are causing many families to drop below the poverty line.”

“Many are not even managing to put food on the table, let alone lead a decent life and live in modest comfort,” the committee said in a statement.

The initiative called #SolidarjetaMĠARR is a collaboration of food stores, supermarkets, confectioneries and a few other outlets to help families put food on the table.

Shoppers are asked to leave items in a designated trolley in all participating food stores.

Donations will also be collected at the Parish. This money will help to buy less generic items, such as gluten-free or dairy-free products which may be needed by specific families.

It is hoped that this becomes a nation-wide initiative, with other localities and their parishes taking on their own versions of the project, using the hashtag #Solidarjeta followed by the name of the said locality.

The outbreak of coronavirus in Malta has been met with drastic measures by the government in an effort to control its spread.

Commercial flights have closed, as are non-essential shops and services, bars, restaurants and gyms. Most businesses are closed for the foreseeable future, with the entire economy facing a significant downturn.

Redundancies have already started and are predicted to continue.

#SoliderjetaMĠARR are asking shoppers for the following items:

Bread
Pasta
Rice
Cereal
Galletti or Crackers
Long-life or tinned milk
Tea / Coffee
Kunserva
Sugar

Tinned tuna
Tins of peas, corn, beans, tomatoes, carrots etc.
Corned Beef
Tinned Sausages
Oil
Flour
Apples
Oranges or tangerines
Melons
Potatoes
Onions
Dried figs or dates
Nuts
Zunnarija
Eggs
Washing -Up
Dishwashing liquid
Laundry Detergent
Disinfectant
Toilet Soap
Toilet Paper
Sanitary Towels
Nappies Baby

Powdered milk
Deodorant
Toothpaste
Shampoo

See more information on the initiative below