Hi, my name is Ray McDonald, and I would like to share good news from Leket Israel, the national food bank, within the Christian community. I recently had the privilege of visiting one of Leket’s partner sites — the “Kitchen of Hope” in Ofakim, a small city in Israel’s southern Negev — and what I found there was far more than a soup kitchen. I found resilience in action.
Every single day, Leket Israel provides 150 fresh, hot meals to this community kitchen, rescued from a local factory and an Israel Defense Forces base. Once a month, they also deliver full baskets of fresh fruit to Ofakim’s most vulnerable residents. It’s a quiet, steady lifeline — and one that didn’t stop even when the unthinkable happened.
A Story That Stopped Me in My Tracks
Ofakim sits just a few miles from the Gaza border. On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists infiltrated the city, killing dozens and wounding many more in one of Israel’s poorest communities. The Kitchen of Hope’s own director lives in one of the hardest-hit neighborhoods. He survived that morning by sheltering in a bomb shelter, then running to his home — and by the grace of God, he survived that too. But here’s what really got me: the very next day, while the rest of the country was still reeling, guess where he was? Right back here at the kitchen, serving Israel’s needy.
That’s the kind of spirit I witnessed in Ofakim, and it’s the spirit that drives everything Leket Israel does.
Why I’m Proud to Represent Leket Israel
For those who aren’t familiar, Leket Israel is the country’s National Food Bank and leading food rescue organization, focused solely on rescuing healthy, surplus food and delivering it to anyone in need through partner nonprofits. It was founded in 2003 by Joseph Gitler, an immigrant, as a one-man volunteer operation. Today it’s something extraordinary. Leket collects surplus food from over 800 sources — including farms, hotels, cafeterias, and army bases — and delivers it to more than 346 nonprofit partners, serving over 470,000 people every week.
And it’s not just about quantity. Leket maintains a nutrition and quality department with professional dieticians who conduct workshops for vulnerable populations, ensuring that 100% of the food distributed is nutritious. That matters. These aren’t token handouts — they’re real, healthy meals that make a real difference.
Getting Our Hands Dirty
I was there with a group and we didn’t just come to observe. We rolled up our sleeves and got to work — volunteering and packing large quantities of rescued produce right there at the kitchen. We walked inside and immediately saw the boxes being prepared, the food arriving and being sorted for distribution. It’s hands-on, it’s fast-paced, and it’s deeply rewarding. Leket mobilizes tens of thousands of volunteers each year in its food rescue programs, from gleaning fields to collecting meals from catering halls and hotels. Being part of that chain, even for a day, was something I won’t forget.
Why This Work Matters Now More Than Ever
The conflict following October 7 has heightened food insecurity across Israel, with rising food prices and supply chain disruptions making it even harder for struggling families to afford essential nutrition. The need in communities like Ofakim has only grown. Leket responded by launching emergency programs, supporting southern farmers, and making sure displaced families kept receiving meals wherever they ended up. Ofakim actually holds a special place in Leket’s history — the Atid Ofakim High School was the very first school to ever receive cooked food from Leket Israel.
Standing in that kitchen, watching the food go out, hearing the director’s story — it all reinforced why I do what I do. A community hit by tragedy. A man who came back the next day. Volunteers from around the world packing boxes side by side. And 150 hot meals, served every single day, no matter what.
That’s Leket Israel. And I’m honored to support it.