The Easter Campaign "Meal of Joy" or the Great Collection, initiated by the public association "Diaconia", will take place on April 12. The national food collection is traditionally held on Palm Saturday simultaneously in 120 stores in 25 localities, IPN reports.

According to the organizers, the purpose of the event, which is already at its 16th edition, is to cultivate solidarity and mercy. The campaign takes place in store chains, where special boxes are set up for food donations.

All the accumulated products become the hot lunch offered daily, throughout the year, to needy people, beneficiaries of parish centers and the five social canteens of the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and the partner organizations involved in the campaign.

"This year we want to mobilize more volunteers and bring light into the lives of those in need," said campaign coordinator Daniela Groza. She added that coordinating volunteers is a difficult but great and rewarding challenge.

This year's volunteers were trained by journalist Ana Sârbu during a seminar. "The volunteers were trained to clearly convey the purpose of the campaign, to create a human connection and to inspire by example," noted the journalist.

According to Ana Sârbu, such campaigns not only provide support to the elderly, but also educate the public on the importance of generosity and social responsibility.

Last year, within the previous edition of the project, over 57 tonnes of food were collected.