(SPOT.ph) With the pandemic and other recent news, it can be easy to lose hope for the better—but there are still kind and generous people around that bring back our faith in humanity. Patricia Non—a 26-year-old small business owner—decided to channel her frustrations into doing good for others as she set up a community pantry in the Maginhawa area.
Established with a bamboo kariton, the community pantry includes essential goods that include rice, vegetables, milk, vitamins, face masks, canned goods, and more that are free to take for those in need. Those in the area who have groceries or other blessings to share can also leave their own, so you can do your part to help others, too. Non has also left hand sanitizer in the kariton for disinfection purposes.
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Non shares that she was inspired to take this on as she was agitated by the current events in the country. "Ang taas ng unemployment rate, ang haba ng pila sa ayuda, tapos gutom na talaga 'yong mga Pinoy. Matagal na [rin] tapos nagde-demand pero kulang talaga 'yong dumadating," she shares in an interview with SPOT.ph. "Kaya parang kailangan talaga natin magtulungan." Although the furniture-business owner admits her income has been low in light of the lockdown, Non is still grateful to be relatively privileged to eat be able to eat three times a day. "
She admits that she was scared the idea would flop or that she would have to go by it alone ("Community effort talaga kasi ito," she says), but shares that many others have reached out to also help.
If you're far from the area and would like to help out, Non advises starting your own community pantry in your area. "Kayang kaya nyo yan! Encourage din mga kapitbahay at 'wag mag-expect ng something in return."
For more details, check out Patricia Non's Facebook post.
