São Paulo – A joint effort in Lebanon has launched a digital platform to provide meals to families displaced within the country due to Israeli attacks, in the context of the war involving the United States and Israel with Iran. Called Sofra, the initiative connects donors around the world with local restaurants and non-governmental organizations to fund, prepare, and deliver hot meals to families who have left their homes or cities in search of safety.
The information was reported by Lebanese state news agency NNA. Sofra was launched through a partnership between the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism, the organization Siren, the company CME, and the Beirut Digital District—a collaboration that combines public-sector support, private-sector execution, and digital infrastructure to enable a coordinated large-scale humanitarian response.
According to NNA, more than one million people have been displaced in the country, and thousands of families struggle to secure a daily meal. The report also notes that overlapping crises in Lebanon have left hundreds of thousands without reliable access to food, while restaurants with the capacity to cook remain underutilized. The platform works by connecting all these points.
Sofra’s system matches donations with restaurants based on each establishment’s capacity and delivery routes. Distribution is carried out by NGOs in shelters, with each delivery confirmed through photographic records. Donors receive real-time updates on the exact destination of their contributions. The founding team says this is not charity in the traditional sense. “We’re building an economic loop. Donors feed families. Restaurants keep their doors open and their staff employed. NGOs operate with structure and accountability. Everyone wins,” they said.
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Translated by Guilherme Miranda
