Another intervention of the Camillians during the Covid-19 pandemic is the relief assistance to Camillian-adopted communities. Thanks to the generous donors, sponsors, collaborators and volunteers for the food aid and hygiene kits given to those who are in need. The Covid-19 crisis is an opportunity to witness God’s love for everyone especially those in the fringes of society.
On March 23, 2020, residents of Brgy. San Andres, Cainta, Rizal (one of the Camillian-adopted communities) received food packs (rice and assorted groceries). Most of the beneficiaries (163 families with average of 5-7 persons per family) are daily wage earners (e.g. street food vendors, tricycle and padyak drivers and garbage collectors).
Meanwhile, the Camillians’ lay collaborators, the Friends of the Sick (FOTS) of the Lay Camillian Family in Our Lady of La Paz Parish and Holy Cross Parish in Makati City lived out the charism received by St. Camillus by distributing food packs to the sick elderly on April 1, 2020.
On April 14, 2020, boxes of MannaPack rice were picked up and delivered to Camillian-adopted communities in Nuestra Señora de la Annunciata Parish, Boso-Boso, Antipolo and in St. Camillus Healthcare Center, Cainta, Rizal through the courtesy of Assisi Foundation.
The Camillians continued their food relief and outreach on April 16, 2020 in the Camillian-adopted community in Cainta, Rizal. Special thanks to Ms. Camill Reyes, Nicole Amponin, Anne Hizon and their friends from “Project Food” for sponsoring food groceries, and to Hapag-Asa and Assisi Foundation for the MannaPack rice. Food packs were given to 280 families.
Then on April 18, 2020, the Camillians returned to Brgy. San Andres, Cainta, Rizal where 210 families were served with hot meals and food groceries in the community. Cooked meals and food packs were also given to 120 residents of Tahanang Walang Hagdanan in Cainta, a home community for People with Disabilities (PWD). The Camillians express their sincerest gratitude to the “Project Food” group for the cooked meals, Selecta Philippines for the milk products, Jebsen & Jessen Ingredients for the malt foods, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Reyes for the cold cuts and to Team J for the untiring service and love for the community.
A fire broke out on April 18, 2020 in Happy Land, Tondo that left hundreds of families homeless. The Camillians, through the donors and collaborators’ help and support, gave various relief goods to San Pablo Apostol Parish in Tondo for the affected families.
On April 23, 2020, the St. Camillus Seminary (priests and seminarians) made a difference in small ways by helping out in repacking the food groceries collected by the Varsity Hills Homeowners’ Association. The food packs were distributed to the needy members in the community and nearby areas.
The Nuestra Señora Dela Annunciata Parish in Boso-Boso, Antipolo (one of the two parishes entrusted to the Camillians) has so far distributed food packs (rice, canned goods and other essential commodities) to almost 3,000 families who are badly affected by the Covid-19 crisis.
On April 29, 2020, the Camillians delivered essential commodities consisting of rice, canned sardines, noodles and hygiene kits to Nuestra Señora Dela Annunciata Parish in support of their “Sang Tungko Project” to feed the thousands of indigenous and non-indigenous families in the parish during this crisis.
The Camillians offer their sincerest thanks to Greenwich leadership team led by Mr. Mike Castro for its valuable donations that were given to the urban poor, indigenous and non-indigenous communities under the care of the Camillian Fathers in the Philippines.
The Camillians also express their sincerest gratitude to the Jollibee Group Foundation for donating 5,232 kilos/packs of chicken meat. Truly there is joy in sharing. On April 30, 2020, the Camillian Fathers, who were divided into three groups, traveled and shared the joy to the frontliners, families and communities as follows:
The packs of joy and the bounty smiles under the face masks allowed our brothers and sisters to discover the joy in the Risen Lord. Joy is meant to be shared to ease this perilous journey we are traversing. With the Risen Lord we shall overcome.