community kitchen project
Providing Nourishment, Dignity, and Solidarity to Vulnerable Communities
FFC implemented community-led kitchens to support vulnerable refugees, displaced persons, and low-income host families, delivering over 116,000 hot meals across multiple initiatives. These programs provided safe and dignified access to food, fostered social cohesion, and promoted inclusion by engaging local volunteers in meal preparation and distribution, while strengthening community ownership and solidarity.
SEKBEH RAMADAN KITCHEN PROJECT LEBANON & NORTHWEST SYRIA
The Sekbeh Ramadan Kitchen project was implemented annually during Ramadan from 2023 to 2025 in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon and Northwest Syria, targeting vulnerable Syrian refugees, displaced individuals, widows, orphans, and low-income host community families.
Over three seasons, the initiative served approximately 390,000 people, distributing more than 110,000 hot meals through community-based kitchens.
Community volunteers were central to the project, participating in both kitchen operations and food distribution.All staff and volunteers received training in protection, safeguarding, and food safety, ensuring that the meals were delivered safely and with dignity. Coordination with local authorities and ongoing monitoring, including satisfaction surveys, helped maintain quality and responsiveness throughout the initiative.
The project not only reduced acute hunger and malnutrition risks during Ramadan but also strengthened
social cohesion and community solidarity by fostering interaction and shared responsibility between refugees
and host communities. Volunteer engagement and local participation were enhanced, creating sustainable
local ownership of humanitarian efforts.
Key lessons from the project highlighted the importance of engaging local volunteers, advance planning with suppliers, and daily monitoring to ensure responsiveness and quality at scale. Looking ahead, FFC plans to continue and potentially expand this initiative to further support food security and community cohesion during Ramadan.
LOCATION
Bekaa Valley (Lebanon), NW Syria
DURATION
March 2023 – April 2025 (annual, during Ramadan)
TARGET GROUP
390,000 individuals served over three Ramadan seasons
COMMUNITIES COLLECTIVE KITCHEN ARSAL
The Communities Collective Kitchen project in Arsal was launched to address acute food insecurity
among vulnerable Syrian refugee families and low-income Lebanese households. Over two months,
the initiative prepared and distributed more than 6,000 hot meals, ensuring that over 27,500 individuals
“representing 5,500 families” had access to immediate food support during a critical period.
Community volunteers played a central role in both the preparation and distribution of meals, reinforcing inclusivity and dignity while fostering local ownership. Coordination with local authorities and refugee-led committees ensured that the process was transparent, participatory, and responsive to community needs.
Beyond providing food, the initiative strengthened social cohesion by creating shared responsibility and
engagement between displaced and host communities. Families benefitted not only from improved
nutritional intake but also from the financial relief that came with regular access to free, hot meals.
Key lessons highlighted the importance of community-led initiatives in achieving efficiency and social impact, the potential for rapid scaling during emergencies, and the value of integrating
health and psychosocial support alongside food distribution. The project ultimately demonstrated
how localized, participatory approaches can effectively meet urgent humanitarian needs while
promoting solidarity and dignity among vulnerable populations.
LOCATION
Arsal
DURATION
June – July, 2025
TARGET GROUP
27,500+ individuals (5,500 families)