History

Founded as a non-profit organisation in Berlin, the Berliner Tafel e.V. was the first food rescue programme in Germany. Since 1993 members and volunteers have been rescuing food and delivering it to charities and welfare organisations in Germany's capital.

Sabine Werth is the president of the Berliner Tafel and its driving force.

Sabine Werth has a degree in social education and owns "Familienpflege Sabine Werth", a business providing counselling and care to families. In 1993 she and fellow members of the group Berliner Frauen e.V. established the Berliner Tafel. Since its foundation, Sabine Werth has been the society's president. In 1995 she initiated the founding of the umbrella organisation Deutsche Tafelrunde in Berlin. In Jena in the following year the Deutsche Tafelrunde was renamed Bundesverband (Federal Association) Deutsche Tafel e.V. From 1995 until 1996 as well as from 2000 until 2002 Sabine Werth functioned as the president of the Federal Association. In 1995 she was awarded the Order of Merit by the State of Berlin and in 2003 she was awarded the Order of the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of her commitment.

Every day tons of excess food are thrown away and disposed of even though the food is still fresh and edible. Strictly speaking there is enough food for everyone. It just has to be distributed in a better way. This is what the Berliner Tafel e.V. is here to do. Our organisation provides the link between those who have so much and those who have too little. This is how the Berliner Tafel e.V. is able to help countless children as well as the poor and needy every day.

Second Kid's Restaurant opened at the Centre Talma in the city's district of Reinickendorf

With the new Kid's Restaurant the Berliner Tafel is dedicated to providing a healthier and more balanced diet to children and teenagers, irrespective of their social backgrounds. Three-course meals, either vegetarian or with meat and without added flavours, are offered at the price of one Euro per meal.
The food is cooked carefully and with a focus on children's nutritious needs. We welcome all children and teenagers to eat here, whether they are rich or poor. Physical exercise and a healthy diet go hand in hand in the new Kids' Restaurant which is run in partnership by the Berliner Tafel and the Verein für Sport und Jugendsozialarbeit e.V. (the Association for Sports and Youth Welfare)

The Five Seasons restaurant in The Yellow Villa in Berlin-Kreuzberg

In addition, the Berliner Tafel e.V., in partnership with the centre for creativity and education called The Yellow Villa, runs a Kids' restaurant in Kreuzberg known as The Five Seasons. Its aim is to provide meals and day-care to children and teenagers, regardless of their social backgrounds.

LAIB und SEELE mobile markets throughout Berlin

Mobile markets are set up in Berlin in cooperation with churches and with the local TV-channel "rbb" to supply food to the needy in the entire city. Here every person can purchase food for the price of one euro on production of proof that they are in receipt of a pension or of jobseekers allowance (ALG2).