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One year after the DANA devastated the province of Valencia in October 2024, the Food Bank continues to be a key player in the recovery of affected families. Throughout these months, the entity has worked tirelessly to assist people who lost everything, distributing food and essential resources to those who needed them most. Companies such as Hersill, committed to solidarity, joined the effort with a significant financial donation, which has strengthened the Bank’s work and ensured that aid has effectively reached the hardest hit areas.
Jaime Sierra, president of the Food Bank, clearly recalled the magnitude of the catastrophe: “I have never seen such a major disaster anywhere in the world that affected families so deeply. From the very first moment, the Food Bank set to work to help the affected families. Collaboration with Civil Protection, firefighters and the UME enabled the Bank to coordinate the distribution of food and essential resources in the hardest hit areas.
The collaboration of local and national companies was and continues to be key in this process. Donations of products, household appliances and construction materials have allowed affected families to recover part of what was lost. Sierra emphasises: “The companies, together with the volunteers, have been the fundamental basis of the response. They supported us with what they had at their disposal and are helping us to go further.
From the moment of the Dana’s arrival, the Food Bank began distributing food, initially sandwiches and then mobile kitchens with the help of chefs such as Jose Andres and other military kitchens in Zaragoza. As the situation progressed, a delivery system was organised to ensure that no one was left without food, even in the most isolated areas, where kayaks and emergency vans arrived to deliver food. “We started with 1,000 sandwiches on the first day, then 4,000, and progressively expanded our capacity,” Sierra said. All this was done with the collaboration of the Generalitat Valenciana, with whom all efforts were coordinated.
In addition to food, the Food Bank implemented the solidarity card initiative, which has allowed affected families to purchase essential goods in local shops. This measure has not only helped affected families, but has also boosted the local economy, allowing families to purchase fresh and basic products in nearby shops. However, not all municipalities are accepting these cards, which has caused frustration in some quarters. “The unfortunate thing has been that some municipalities did not accept the cards, but the people responded, and we are moving forward,” Sierra added.
Since the disaster, the Food Bank has served around 6,500 people per month in the affected area. In November and December last year, 5 million kilos of food were distributed nationwide. “To give a more precise idea, Jaime Sierra points out, up to 1 October this year, the Valencia Food Bank has distributed a total of 9,300,000 kilos of food, serving 59,700 people each month”.
In such a complex context, the need for help continues to grow. The president of the Food Bank warns of the increase in the number of families requesting assistance in each distribution. “Every time we make a distribution, more than 40 new people join the queue,” Sierra explained. In the municipalities most affected by the FOD alone, such as Picanya, Pobla de Vallbona and Mestalla, the Food Bank serves more than 5,600 people. In the Picanya distribution, for example, more than 200 families are expected, a figure that reflects the growing number of people affected. “The figures are alarming, and the requests for help continue to increase,” Sierra said.
Hersill, in particular, contributed a financial donation that was key to ensuring that the Food Bank could continue its work uninterrupted. Thanks to this collaboration, the Bank was able to strengthen its efforts and continue to support families in the affected area.
Today, the Food Bank continues to provide support to affected families, distributing essential food and resources. Community solidarity remains a key pillar in its work, and collaboration with companies like Hersill and the tireless work of volunteers continue to make a difference. This collective effort demonstrates that even in difficult times, solidarity and working together can transform adversity into an opportunity to rebuild and strengthen the region.
Hersill is part of the Technologies that make a country campaign (#TecnologíasQueHacenPaís), which showcases the technological companies that develop, manufacture and innovate in Spain. Its work is actively contributing to the strengthening of the national technology industry, the creation of jobs and economic progress, while reinforcing Spain’s industrial autonomy to face the challenges of the future.
