Inspired by a trending community pantry, a focolare intern member ( my mother) also one of the officers of the Barangay Pastoral Council (BPC) in our Barangay was moved seeing the news and pictures about the community pantry almost everywhere in our country. She tickled the heart and mind of the officers in their Chat room to do the same and the chairman set a Virtual meeting where the proponent was given the floor to preside the meeting only with the agendum of this charitable activity and approved by all officers who attended the meeting.
Everyone was very enthusiastic and on the following week after its approval, the operation started – April 28, 2021. Our version of Community Pantry is opened once a week every Wednesday.
Adult and youth helped according to their capacity and talents in putting up our community pantry. It was also made possible because of benevolent persons….
Social protocols were observed …
We have short program before the opening…
Others who received also returned back and give according to what they have…
Inspired again by Y4UWW #DaretoCare Project, we the members of the Focolare in our Barangay present the idea to the BPC that those senior citizens, the sick and needy that could not go to the pantry because of their situations, will be given Care packs to be brought to them, also to know them personally and to see their real situations. So the officers agreed and each one helped to identify and came-up to 33 names. We suggested also that their care packs will include some special items like Milk for Adult and Instant Oatmeal. They agreed and happy about it and we assured them we will helped find sponsors In order to have the amount to buy milk and oatmeal.
Two sponsors from outside the country from USA a family friend and from New Zealand (also a focolare member) sent their financial help. The amount raised had bought not only milk and oatmeal but also other groceries for care packs to be shared to the poor and needy who went to our community pantry.
While other members of the household who are in great need went to get what they need from the pantry…
…other BPC officers together with us the gen brought the care packs to those identified senior citizens, sick and needy who could not go to our pantry.
It is a very heart melting and touching feeling seeing the real situations of the senior citizens and the sick persons…Some gen, since we are a bit far from each other, also took their own initiatives to help and be part of this Dare to Care Challenge like this one gen with his family, they also find sponsors so that we could also share Care Packs to his identified poor and needy.
Another gen also with the young people in their place with their Barangay officials help each other in putting up their community pantry to help the poor and needy people in their own Barangay.
Together, even in our own little ways could express our love concretely to our neighbors that indeed we really Dare to Care…
God bless Everyone! UNO!
