Adopt-a-community pantry initiative launched

MANILA, Philippines — Philanthropists and social institutions are calling on organizations to adopt community pantries or makeshift stalls that seek to provide food for the poor to institutionalize the movement during the pandemic.

The project, dubbed Adopt a Community Pantry Project (ACPP), was launched yesterday, seeking to tap individuals, families, groups, civic clubs and other social and business institutions as donors.

Former education secretary Armin Luistro said the ACPP has created a financial platform to connect sponsors to the pantries.

Ana Patricia Non, who was credited for organizing the Maginhawa community pantry in Quezon City earlier this year, said there are around 6,700 pantries nationwide.

While the number is immense, scarce donations forced some community pantries to halt operations, according to Non.

“But people are still willing to help during the pandemic. There are donations coming in and pantries are willing to open,” Non said at a press conference.

She said the establishment of the ACPP would be helpful in communities where families are going hungry due to financial constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tanging Yaman Foundation of the Jesuit province and the De La Salle Brothers Inc. will receive the donations.

The Community Pantry PH, a group that Non manages with her sister, will select community pantries to receive donations.

The ACPP said sponsors may directly fund beneficiary pantries to sustain their operations.