Before Maginhawa community pantry, Non helped set up soup kitchen, rice drive

Before popping up the Maginhawa Community Pantry, Ana Patricia Non lent a helping hand to hungry jeepney drivers and breastfeeding moms, who were also grappling with the coronavirus disease pandemic.

On "The Mangahas Interviews", Non said her sorority and their affiliate brods raised money to buy rice for jeepney drivers who lost their livelihood due to the suspension of public transport in the lockdown.

"Initiative naman po ng sorority ko and fraternity. Ano po 'yun dahil tigil pasada po ang mga jeepney drivers. Nanlilimos na lang so ginawa po namin nag-ipon kami," Non told veteran journalist Malou Mangahas.

"Ang goal po namin makabili ng kalahating kaban ng bigas sa bawat isang drivers," she added.

[It is an initiative of our sorority and fraternity. Since they stopped their operations, the jeepney drivers would beg for money in the streets so what we did was we raised money. Our goal is to buy a sack of rice for each driver.]

Non said they were able to buy 1,000 sacks of rice.

The community pantry pioneer also helped in her organization's community kitchen, which sought to feed breastfeeding women and children.

The community kitchen was able to feed 800 people, Non said.

"Masustansyang meals po para sa mga nagpapasusong nanay at mga bata sa communities kasi po dapat masustansya kinakain natin lalo na may pandemic po," Non said.

[Nutritious meals are needed for breastfeeding mothers, and children in communities especially during pandemic.]

Non's community pantry was emulated by other concerned citizens from all over the country.

More community pantries opened not just in Metro Manila but also in other provinces. --Joahna Lei Casilao/NB, GMA News