The Rotaract Club of Edinburgh have nominated 'Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts (EKFH)' as our charity of the year this year.

EKFH is a community organisation that exists to serve the hungry people of Edinburgh without judgement. They were initially founded as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but have continued to grow and help those in need.

They take food donations and convert them into breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks. Community volunteers then package these meals into 'day packs' for delivery across Edinburgh. Each and every meal is provided free of charge.

Here are the goals of EKFH:

"Serve others without judgement

We are charitable in nature, but our actions are from a standpoint of respect and solidarity, not pity or saviorism. We will never ask clients to prove their need and unless it is viewed as disproportionally inefficient and unsustainable, we will help as many people as we can, where and when we can.

Look after hospitality workers

We engage, encourage and support the chef and hospitality community, advocating for their benefit and betterment and providing a space where they can practice their passion for food. We foster their skills and provide them an environment to feed others regardless of economic context, thus encouraging their own enterprise and ambitions.

Waste Not

We repurpose food surpluses to benefit those who struggle with food insecurity. We transform food waste into healthy meals for people in need, thus preventing it from ending up in a landfill. Wherever possible we strive to reduce waste, recycle assets and materials and reduce our negative environmental impacts

Abolish Hunger

We lobby to combat modern hunger both in Scotland and the UK. We strive within our capacity to solve present issues of food poverty and hunger, and also do our best to solve these issues in the long term. We will never accept hunger as a fact of life.

Create a Community

Our first independent project quickly created its own community and support network, tying people from different walks of life together through shared values. We continually ensure the safety and well-being of our volunteers. Volunteering with Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts is a benefit to both society and the individual.

Aim for Redundancy

Our ultimate goal is to be put out of business because the hunger crisis is thoroughly addressed by government support agencies and improved supply chain issues. Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts does not intend not to simply become part of the 'poverty industry' but rather to strive for a solution to these challenges."

We hope to raise money for this great organisation throughout the year and would be grateful for your support!