26.5.2023. 7pm IST
FOOD BANK FOR THE POOR , SANGOLDA GOA completes 6 years as of today.
What started on 27.5 2017 with just a single fridge for over 6 months at Sangolda, today has taken a totally different approach.
27th May is the birthday our late Uncle ,
Rev Fr Walter Gomes , SFX , who expired in August 22 and we had innaugrated this fridge on his birthday 6 years back with his blessings.
Running a food bank was always considered risky due to food poisoning as a threat to the one running a food bank.
But in the last 6 years of our food bank program, with the Grace of God we have never ever faced any issues of food poisoning or anything which brought bad light to our food bank.
With over 26 fridges installed in Goa of which 11 such fridges are in Police Stations, we on an average accept and receive daily 500 kgs of cooked good food enough for our 8 shelter homes and rest goes to other associates who feed the poor.
Our expansion of our Food bank fridges was planned across India way back in Jan 2020 and we had even sent 3 fridge to Bangalore, 2 to Delhi and 1 in Maharashtra but Covid lockdown early March 2020 brought this expansion plans to a complete halt.
Now on our 6th Anniversay of our Food Bank and which is also rhe birthday of our Late Fr Walter Gomes , we are installing 5 new fridges in a Jharkhand in North India on 30th May 2023.
This coming 6 months we intend to set up if possible with The blessings of The Almighy close to 200 + fridges across many states as food banks ( and shelter homes go hand in hand) are the need of the hour as hunger is everywhere as well as food wastage is increasing.
The only One regret in running the food bank program for the poor which I FAILED, was we are not accepted and supported in GOA by the FSSAI / FDA DIRECTOR inspite of our excellent track record.
Infact we conceptualized and popularized the term FOOD BANK FRIDGES In public places , after which the FSSAI put a program and plan in place.
This is the only Government department I can say is not pro hunger towards the poor .
After 6 years we @ our food bank is collecting monthly on an average only 15 tonnes of cooked good food which if the FSSAI had supported could have been 150 tonnes a month.
♡♡♡ We thank alot of our benefactors who have in the last 6 years donated close to 80+ fridges towards this once upon a time A UNIQUE CONCEPT called FOOD BANK FRIDGES.
♡♡♡ We also thank our only FRIDGE supplier, Global Enterprises, Mr Savio from Porvorim for all the sales, service and credit facility given to this food bank program.
To all the factories, bakeries and unknown people who faithfully drop their good food in our fridges. GOD BLESS YOU .
♡♡♡ To our volunteers who were the initial bank bone of this project ' YOU WERE THE LEGS WHICH DID A SERVICE WITHOUT A NOISE “.
♡♡♡ To my Wife and my little children ( 6 years back all 3 of them were small, infact one child was an infant ) thanks for the support & patience you all had with me especially in the 1st 6 months but the rewards are now plentiful.
♡♡ To Late Fr Walter Gomes ( Uncle Babush ) your prayers, motivation, advice and support is now only memories as we take this vision of yours forward both @ the food bank fridges, & the shelter home projects for the homeless with our 1st shelter home out of Goa being innaugrated in Jharkhand on 30.5.2023.
God bless you all
Donald Fernandes
8380097564 / 7020314848
