The Red Cross volunteers’ school surplus food distribution scheme is being extended to Katedralskolan in Turku. Further details on the distribution timetable will be available on the ruoka-apu.fi website. New volunteers are needed to help with this initiative.
The scheme to distribute surplus school meals, which began in Turku in March 2024, has been well received. Red Cross volunteers distribute surplus food from the Aurajoen, Topeliuksen and Wäinö Aaltosen schools, Turku Teacher Training College, the Ruiskatu campus and Turku Classical Upper Secondary School. In 2025, the Red Cross food distribution scheme in Turku recorded over 15,000 visits. The scheme is now expanding to Katedralskolan, and further details on the exact start date will be announced on the ruoka-apu.fi website.
– Distributing surplus food from schools reduces food waste and provides tangible support for the daily lives of Turku’s residents. It’s great that the scheme is now being extended to Katedralskolan as well. Cooperation with the Red Cross and volunteers makes this important initiative possible, says Anna-Mari Sopenlehto-Jokinen, a specialist at the City of Turku .
Induction session at Katedralskolan for those interested in volunteering
The Red Cross is looking for new volunteers to distribute surplus food at Katedralskolan. As well as Katedralskolan, new volunteers are also needed at other schools. Distributing food is a simple and enjoyable voluntary role that does not require much time or extensive training. A single shift lasts about an hour, and volunteers can choose their shifts to suit their own schedules.
– Volunteers find food distribution a rewarding task that also gives them a lot in return. Serving meals provides plenty of pleasant encounters with those collecting food and with other volunteers. These encounters foster a genuine sense of community in everyday life, says Miika Norro, a social welfare specialist at the Red Cross’s Varsinais-Suomi district.
No hygiene certificate is required for this role, but induction training will be provided. For Katedralskolan, the induction will take place in the Katedralskolan canteen (Vanha Suurtori 1, Turku) on Monday 24 August 2026 at 1.00 pm. For other schools, a basic food aid course will be held on Tuesday 1 September at 1.00 pm at the Finnish Red Cross’s Varsinais-Suomi district office (Yliopistonkatu 24 A, 2nd floor, Turku). Anyone interested in volunteering is asked to register with Miika Norro.
- Register for the induction session at Katedralskolan: Miika Norro, 0404895754 or miika.norro@redcross.fi
Surplus school meals will continue on 24 August.
The autumn programme for surplus meals begins on Monday 24 August at the Aurajoen, Topeliuksen and Wäinö Aaltosen schools, Turku Teacher Training College, the Ruiskatu campus and Turku Classical Upper Secondary School. At Katedralskolan, the surplus food programme will begin a week later, on Monday 31 August.
More detailed, day-by-day information on the distributions can be found at ruoka-apu.fi.
Illustrative image for the news article: Miika Norro / Finnish Red Cross
This translation was produced with AI and reviewed by a human.
