Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian called for food donations from restaurants and fast foods, as well as from individuals who are willing to render volunteer service, in the newly-opened Walang Gutom Kitchen.
“We encourage organizations and individuals who want to help fight hunger to just go to Walang Gutom Kitchen at the Nasdake Building in Pasay City to be our volunteer server for the day,” Gatchalian said.
Launched on December 16, the Walang Gutom Kitchen is the DSWD’s latest innovative program that offers holistic solutions to homelessness and hunger.
Its primary clientele are children, individuals, and families in street situations and other Filipinos experiencing involuntary hunger.
Apart from addressing involuntary hunger, Gatchalian said the kitchen will also prevent food wastage.
“First of all, we want to suppress hunger. But where will we get the food? Since this soup kitchen is also a food bank, this is where hotels, restaurants, and fast food stores drop their excess sales and food they did not consume that day,” he said.
“Instead of just throwing food away and wasting them, now they have a place to put them and donate them where the DSWD will distribute them and serve them to our compatriots who are experiencing hunger, families who living on the streets, individuals and youth experiencing temporary hunger,” he added.
Gatchalian said the DSWD will open more soup kitchens nationwide to realize President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s vision of a hunger-free Philippines.
So far, Nestle Philippines has donated 300 pieces of 1-kg pack powdered chocolate while Bossing Nation has given 5 boxes of dishwashing liquid.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “DSWD chief calls for donations, volunteers for Walang Gutom Kitchen.”
