Community pantry organizer Ana Patricia Non sought help from other organizers and followers to purchase rescued vegetables from local farmers.
Non, known online as Patreng Non, initiated the Maginhawa Community Pantry in Quezon City in April, a food program that runs on donated food items to help struggling Filipinos affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This eventually inspired similar other initiatives across Metro Manila and some provinces.
On Friday, Non joined her mother Zena Bernardo in calling for help for some farmers of Nueva Ecija.
“Para sa po sa gusto tumulong sa 400 plus community pantries natin sa NCR (National Capital Region) plus pwede po tayo mag-ambag para mabili ang rescued vegetables,” she said.
Her mother provided bank account details where potential buyers of rescued vegetables can send their payments.
Farmers will help pantries with their fresh produce, Bernardo said. And in turn, pantry organizers can help farmers earn.
“We have some veggies to rescue. Can you buy for a pantry? ‘Give what you can’ lang. Don’t forget to text or tag Kay Jonatas so she can track it,” Bernardo said.
In a separate post on its Facebook page, organizers of The Kalabasa Project also appealed for buyers to purchase their packaged veggies worth P2,000 to aid the farmers.
“Kakaunti na ang donasyon sa ating mga Community Pantries. Sa halagang P2.000, maari na tayong tumulong upang makapaglatag sila at makapaghatid sa mga taong mga nangangailangan. Makakatulong ito na maibahagi ang mga resources sa mga communities lalo na yung mga nasa laylayan ng lipunan,” read the post.
“Kung maraming magbabahagi makakatulong ito para ma-sustain ang ng Community Pantries at patuloy itong makakapagbigay hanggat may nangangailangan,” it added.
In the graphics attached, the non-profit organization is currently selling two packages of rescued veggies. These are located at the Claret Church in Quezon City. It is open from 7 a.m. to 9 a/m.
Last April, Non’s family managed to raise $10,332 in their fundraiser for community pantries following red-tagging accusations by government officials.
Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy, also the spokesperson of National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, later demanded an accounting of the donated money.
Badoy also associated Non with the communist rebellion.
Such accusation, however, seemed to backfire after more donations were raised after the red-tagging.
Last May, as the pantries and the volunteers grew bigger, Non set up a Facebook page called Community Pantry PH, a go-to information hub for Filipinos.
