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Published Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Caribbean business
creates food bank, helps more than 2,500 peopleThe Chamber of Tourism and Commerce of the South Caribbean created a food bank to donate to families affected by the covid-19 crisis, announced Roger Sans, president of the Chamber. The Chamber, in a joint effort with the Puerto Viejo Integral Development Association, has managed to distribute 400 daily meals and thus provide sustenance to more than 2,500 people in the community who have been unemployed due to the effects of the crisis of this pandemic. Most families consist of four or five members. Donations were given by shops and supermarkets in the South Caribbean, from Manzanillo Beach to Hone Creek community. They managed a social media campaign to inform the public what type of products could be donated, including rice, beans, pasta, canned goods, oil, salt, sugar, milk powder, and cleaning products, among others. There was also a strict protocol to follow for cleaning the items donated. The food was cleaned following the guidelines for sanitation established by the Government. The Chamber members also held meetings with the Municipal Emergency Committee of Talamanca and the Ministry of Health to follow the guidelines and not expose people to possible contagion, the Chamber said. Sans, who also works as a manager of the Hotel Banana Azul, in Puerto Viejo, pointed out that they managed to collect 2,000 forms sent by WhatsApp and gave priority to the care of families with pregnant women, patients and children. They also shared on social networks the names and phone numbers of the people to be contacted to request food and information in the areas as Hone Creek, Negra Beach and Puerto Viejo, Cocles Beach, Chiquita Beach and Manzanillo. Chamber members also managed to create internal controls so that a family did not receive more than one aid in the same food delivery. Each family received no more than four food donation deliveries, two per week. According to the Chamber, in addition to food donations, there were cash donations from nationals and foreigners who live or have ties to the area in any way. Now that the government's aid is becoming evident through the Protect Bond and the National Emergency Commission, the solidarity food bank will be on hold, the Chamber reported. Developing community food banks has been a measure adopted in areas such as Turrialba in Cartago Province under the name "Let's be Community" which promotes the donation of food to the poorest people and families in the canton. To achieve this, the Turrialba Lions Club, the local Chamber of Tourism, and other public institutions have worked together. In Tamarindo Beach in Guanacaste Province, the Integral Development Association, the Tamarindo Chamber of Commerce and the CEPIA organization are receiving and distributing food to impoverished families who cannot request the Protect Bonus. In the Sarapiquí District in Heredia Province, the private tourism company Oasis Nature Tours bought groceries and sent them to 25 poverty families from Sarapiqui. While in Golfito Canton in Puntarenas Province, the Municipality has been helping people in need throughout the canton and the Integral Development Association is distributing food donated by the community. These kinds of efforts have also been made by tourist communities such as Monteverde District in Puntarenas Province and Cahuita Beach in Limon Province, said Alberto López, General Manager of the Tourism Institute. According to López, the institute is working on the reactivation plan that will be implemented once sanitary measures allow it. "Such reactivation will only be possible with the joint work between the public and private sectors, which has allowed the country to become one of the most liked destinations in the world," said Lopez. --------------------- Have you heard of food banks donating to families in your community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
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