‘Kalabasa’ for Araneta City frontliners

J. Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF), the social arm of Araneta City, has provided additional nourishment to all frontliners of the City of Firsts to keep them healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Close to 1,000 security, sanitation, and maintenance personnel received squashes and vitamin boosters – all donated to JAAF – last May 31 and June 1 as a gratitude for their relentless effort on keeping Araneta City safe and secured.

The vegetables came from pharmacist Kay Jonatas of the Kalabasa Project, which helps squash farmers in Nueva Ecija to have their produce sold during the crisis.

The vitamin-booster juice drinks were donated by Theresa Vialu and family.

Kalabasa Project aims to promote a sustainable Philippines where farmers are given due compensation and more opportunities to easily bring their produce to consumers’ plates. It was featured in JAAF’s #LivingHeroes – a series of stories regarding ordinary people with extraordinary hearts shown during the pandemic – on Facebook last May 21.

Diane Romero, JAAF executive director, said: “It’s a win-win situation for us. We are able to take part in the Kalabasa Project’s mission to help squash producers, and at the same time, provide something valuable to reward and safeguard the health of Araneta City frontliners.

“This initiative has allowed us to reach out to a lot of people in these challenging times.”