Refood Algarve

REFOOD is a Portugal-wide, 100% volunteer, citizen-run movement that rescues surplus food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributes it to families and individuals in need. It operates through more than 60 independent local "nucleos" (chapters) across the country, each one collecting unsold or unused food, usually in the evening, from local businesses and preparing it for same-day distribution to people registered as beneficiaries in that community. In the Algarve, active nucleos currently cover Albufeira, Almancil, Faro, Lagos, Portimão, Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António, each run independently by local volunteers under the wider REFOOD movement. The movement's national support structure, Refood 4 Good (IPSS), is based in Lisbon. Each nucleo depends entirely on local volunteers to collect, sort and deliver food every evening of the year. Beneficiaries are referred into the programme through local social services or community contacts, and nucleos aim to serve their own neighbourhood so that help stays close to home. Residents can get involved with their local Algarve nucleo as a volunteer, or support the wider movement with a donation through the national REFOOD website. Each nucleo also keeps its own social media page for day-to-day updates and to request specific donations.