Archive for the ‘Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay Food Drive’ Category

Food Drive Wrap Up Report!

Posted in Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay Food Drive, Puerto Vallarta Charity on 09/10/2009 04:45 pm by admin

IMG 5392 3097 CR02t

What began in the spring as an idea as to just how we could assist our friends and neighbors here in Puerto Vallarta through some very, very tough economic times through the summer months, blossomed in to a massive undertaking.

Pamela Thompson - HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta -
Pamela Thompson – HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta -

First, I went to my dear friend Philippa Vernon-Powell (field director for New Life Mexico www.newlifemexico.com). I knew that she had the contacts with DIF (Social Services) and that they could provide us with the people most in need. This, in turn, lead to contact with Jesus Barrio Trejo, the Director of Child Protective Services (Director de Proteccion a la Infancia) who provided us with eight different registered groups under Child Protective Services who we all decided were some of the most in dire need. As well, going via these programs, each and every child-person receiving the prepared food packages were registered with each program. Each group has weekly meetings with Child Protective Services in their local colonia.

Philippa Vernon-Powell - Field Director for New Life Mexico -
Philippa Vernon-Powell – Field Director for New Life Mexico -

Next, I went to Tim at PVRPV – Puerto Vallarta Rentals -  (www.pvrpv.com) I am sure the next time that I say to Tim – “Hey! I have an idea! Can you help?” he will run the other direction! Tim and his PVRPV Team jumped on board and agreed to be the primary location for drop-off’s of donations. This not only kept their office filled with piles and piles of beans, rice, lentils, soup cubes and pasta, Tim and his Team began the most detailed and extensive Excel sheet imaginable. Each and every grain was documented as it arrived.

Tim D. Longpré - PVRPV's President -
Tim D. Longpré – PVRPV’s President -

Chris Benson from the Coffee Cup in the Marina, Actinver (various locations) and G3MX Realty Group became drop off points as well. Emails announcing the Food Drive went out in mass. Rick & Sarah Hepting (www.vallartascene.com) joined in and via their message board, donations nearly doubled! Sid Goodman assisted with monetary donations via his Paypal account.

Sarah Hepting
Sarah Hepting
Rick Hepting
Rick Hepting

Sid Goodman
Sid Goodman

The response was beyond incredible!!! Hundreds and hundreds of bags of the food for the food bags began streaming in.

The next step was to figure out how in the world we would be able to bag up the food for the monthly distributions. PVRPV once again stepped up to the plate and began having monthly “packaging parties“. Volunteers showed up on the appointed dates-times willing to sweat, huff and puff, and package! The cohesiveness of each packaging party was enough to remind us all what a truly wonderful group of foreigners live in our area. Fab photographer Josef Kandoll (http://www.josefkandollw.com/) and videographers Ray Dion (www.promovisionpv.com) and Laura Gelazunas (http://videodivaproductions.com/) documented these events for the world to see.

Ray Dion

Ray Dion

Laura Gelazunas

Laura Gelazunas

Josef Kandoll

Josef Kandoll

As September rolled around and we approached the end of the program (we committed to the distributions through September), it was time for one last Packaging Party – and a party it was! Serenaded by the music of The Bambino’s and fed by Victor of the new Victor’s Bar & Grill (Pino Suarez 232 – phone 223-9424 – a new place offering delicious pizza’s, chicken wings and more!) volunteers worked diligently on one of the hottest afternoons so far this year, packaging more than 1,000 bags of food!!! Soaked and sweaty clothes were the mode but were accompanied by huge smiles. Clothes were definitely dampened, but spirits were not!

Los Bambinos
Los Bambinos

Take a look at some of these incredible statistics:

  • Each Food Package contained beans, rice, lentils, soup cubes and pasta. Enough to feed a family of four for one week.
  • Each bag weighed approximately 4.5 kg.
  • Approximate total of kilos distributed: 17,050 kg!
  • Distributed to 3,789 families.
  • Each packaging party was attended by approximately 65 people. That is a total (throughout the summer) of 260 volunteers which equals 520 hands!
  • Each donation was documented and receipted! There are far too many people to list and thank as it is a mind-boggling amount! But an extra-special thanks needs to be given to:
  • Every single donor.
  • Every single volunteer at all of the Packaging Parties!
  • Tim and his PVRPV Team.
  • Philippa Vernon-Powell and her assistant Hugo Oregon (who schlepped mountains of donations all over the place).
  • Josef Kandoll for photography.
  • Rick and Sarah Hepting – Vallarta Scene
  • Sid Goodman.
  • Banderas News.
  • Bar Frida.
  • Food (for helping hands!) donations – Victor’s Bar and Grill, Nina Goodhope (who makes absolutely without a doubt, the very best cookies in town).
  • Gary Beck and the Yahoo Southside Message Board.
  • Sam’s and Costco
  • The Bambino’s

This program not only proved to one and all what can be accomplished with organization, transparency and a whole lot of love, it reminds us all that we must take care of one another, through good times and bad. We are blessed to have food to eat when we are hungry!

Now, hang on to your hats and wait until you hear about the next project!!!

Mad Hatter Party Flyer
Mad Hatter Party Flyer

Pamela Thompson

HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta

www.healthcareresourcespv.com

Pictures Donated by photographer Josef Kandoll (http://www.josefkandollw.com/)

 

Final Packaging party for the Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay Food Drive

Posted in Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay Food Drive on 09/08/2009 09:49 am by admin

PVRPV has been involved since May in the local Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay food drive.  On Sept 4th our last packaging party, over 60 people attended to help package over 1100 bags of food.

Have a look at the Video below

 

Video donated by Ray Dion from   Promovisionov.

 

PVRPV Staff continue to help with the Food Drive / El personal de PVRPV sigue apoyando en la Campaña de Alimentos

Posted in Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay Food Drive, Puerto Vallarta Charity on 07/18/2009 12:33 pm by admin



Spanish Version listed below / Versión en Español enlistada abajo



The following blog entry is from Pamela Thompson, Health Care Resources Puerto Vallarta



This week brought another 525 little smiles as food packages were distributed to the children in DIF’s Child Protective Services Programs. Arriving from various colonias throughout Puerto Vallarta, each bag containing 1 kg of rice, 1 kg of beans, 1 kg of lentils, 1 kg of soup pasta and 12 soup cubes. This is enough food to feed a family of four for one week. Each child attends a regular weekly meeting with various DIF programs that include Working Kids, Kids at Risk, Pregnant Teens, Open School and Children with Parents in Prison. Most lined up one hour before the set distribution time. These distribution times are important to each and every child and many arrive “dressed up” which in many cases means shoes that are too big & oversized clothing – the best that they have!







As we have said many times over the past few months, never, in our wildest dreams, did we imagine the outpouring of support for the Food Drive that was created to assist those desperately in need after the fall out of the flu, slow economy in the Banderas area – you name it – causing 1,000’s of locals to be laid off from their jobs (and knowing there is no such thing here as “unemployment/welfare”). We have successfully packaged the beans, rice, lentils, soup pasta and soup cubes and distributed to many, many in need via the Child Protective Services programs. People have rallied and donated like mad and as well, assisted in the “packaging parties” where in an extremely short period of time, because of many hands working together, the individual packages are put together, along with a whole lot of sweating and laughing!






As we reach the half-way point of the program (we want to stick to our original commitment of distributing through the end of September) we need a couple more big “pushes” to make that goal!




So, if you are able to contribute any of the following (listed in the order most needed) it would assist us in reaching that goal!



Lentils

Beans

Rice

Soup Pasta

Soup Cubes (like Knorr)



You can see updates at www.banderasnews.com and http://pvrpvblog.blogspot.com/. Without the hard work and determination from so many none of this would be possible. And, again, a huge Gracias to the staff of PVRPV for their dedication!






Donations may be dropped off at the various points listed in the articles above.

Please do not hesitate contacting me with any questions regarding this project.



Remember “It takes a village”.



With warm regards,

Pamela Thompson

HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta

Versión en Español:


 La siguiente entrada del blog es de Pamela Thompson, de HealthCare Resources de Puerto Vallarta





Esta semana trajo consigo 525 pequeñas sonrisas mas, mientras los paquetes de la colecta de alimentos fueron distribuidos a los niños del Programa de Servicios de Protección Infantil. Llegando desde varias colonias de Puerto Vallarta, cada bolsa contenía 1 kg de arroz, 1 kg de frijoles, 1 kg de lentejas, 1 kg de pasta y 12 cubitos de knorr. Esto es suficiente comida para alimentar a una familia de cuatro durante una semana. Cada niño, se presenta regularmente a una junta semanal con varios programas del DIF, que incluye, Niños Trabajadores, Niños en Peligro, Adolescentes Embarazadas, Escuelas Abiertas, y Niños con Padres en Prisión. Muchos, se formaron en la fila una hora antes de que empezara el set de distribución. Estos tiempos de distribución son muy importantes para cada uno de los niños, y muchos llegan “bien vestidos” que en muchos casos, quiere decir calzado muy grande, tallas demasiado grandes de ropa – ¡lo mejor que tienen!






Como hemos dicho, muchas veces durante los meses anteriores, nunca, ni en nuestros sueños más alocados, nos imaginamos el continuo soporte para la Colecta de Alimentos, que fue creado para asistir a aquellos desesperadamente necesitados, después del bajón como consecuencia de la influenza, lenta economía en el área de la Bahía de banderas – llámalo como quieras – causó que miles de locales dejaran su trabajo (y sabiendo que aquí, en realidad no existe tal cosa del “desempleo/benéfico”). Hemos empacado con gran éxito los frijoles, el arroz, las lentejas, la sopa de pasta, y los cubitos de consomé y distribuido a muchos, muchos que lo necesitan, mediante los Programas de Servicios de Protección Infantil. Las personas se han juntado y han donado como locos, así como también, han asistido a “las fiestas para empaquetar” en donde en un extremadamente corto periodo, por las tantas manos trabajando juntas, los paquetes individuales se unen, ¡junto con muchísimo sudor y risas!




Mientras llegamos a la mitad del punto de programa (queremos apegarnos a nuestro compromiso original de distribuir durante todo septiembre) ¡necesitamos un par de grandes “empujones” para lograr nuestro cometido!