“We don’t have enough to survive on; it’s totally banal – we’ve got nothing to eat and nothing with which to pay for our rented room. I’m ashamed that I’m so helpless and not needed by anybody – neither by employers nor the state...”

The charitable organisation, ziedot.lv is hearing stories like this every day. And this inspired it to come up with an idea for a food programme, Paēdušai Latvijai whose identity and communications have been devised and are being managed by DDB, Cube, Nords Porter Novelli, and Poligrāfijas Aģentūra. We also want to inspire Latvia, but to do so responsibly by inviting people to help one another and join forces to overcome difficulties.

Within the framework of the project, families in need will be supplied with food parcels. They will consist of all the necessary products (groats, buckweat, corn flakes, potatoes, flour, oil, canned meat and fish, sugar and tea) for one month. Each parcel costs LVL 8.50. To date, 2,345 families have already applied to take part in the programme and their number is continuing to grow. The first 1,116 parcels were distributed on October 20. And by Christmas, it is planned that 10,000 Latvian families will have received food parcels.

Currently, several DDB clients have also decided to support the project. These include Swedbank, which is a long-standing supporter of ziedot.lv, is also planning to support this project. Maxima, which has placed donation boxes next to its cash registers and is offering missing products for a symbolic charge. And Hanzas Maiznīcas which has also pledged its support with its products. We are making a heartfelt invitation to other companies to support Latvia’s families in need, because they are our compatriots, maybe even our neighbours. And who else is going to help them if we don’t?

More information about the project can be found at: http://www.paedusailatvijai.lv/lv/sakums/. Follow the latest news on: Facebook and Twitter.