End Child Hunger, One Meal made with Love at a Time

Many of us have memories of our best-loved baon from childhood – the ones that filled our young hearts with pure “baon joy”.

Whether it was hotdog with rice, “tasty bread” spread thick with your favorite peanut butter or chocolate milk and cookies – nothing beats homemade baon cooked with love.

Unfortunately, for a vast number of Filipino school children, the “baon joy” experience is almost an impossibility. According to the National Nutrition Council, at least 4 million children are suffering from malnutrition.

Malnutrition, defined as lack of proper nutrition, affects a child’s brain development. It can also lead to other health conditions including reduced growth rate or stunting and severe thinness or wastage.

Join the fight against child hunger by spending your volunteer time with Kusina ng Kalinga, a feeding program that doesn’t just feed the hungry, but brings hope to the next generation as well.

Here are five reasons why Kusina ng Kalinga is the perfect volunteer time pick for you!

1. Discover healthy recipes. Take inspiration from the healthy meals at Kusina ng Kalinga. Each Kusina ng Kalinga meal is made with meat and vegetables including malunggay and comes from the 21-day recipe book for healthy and cost-efficient meals. In fact, each Kusina ng Kalinga meal costs only P15!

2. Be a part of the solution against child hunger. While sharing posts on good causes on social media is said to be ‘caring’, you can do more by spending at a few hours in helping out sustain kitchen operations. Every Kusina ng Kalinga oversees the preparation of over 1,500 meals per kitchen and serves children in the streets, in conflict areas, and select public school elementary students.

3. Bond with your team. Spend quality time with your team while sharing the goodness. Starting your day a bit of early (kitchen work starts as early as 3 am!) might be difficult, but doing it with a team will definitely make it easier. You can even share a ride or go for a team lunch after volunteer hours.

4. Meet new friends. With only about four to six regular volunteers per kitchen, volunteers from different walks of life—ranging from BPO employees to GK residents—you’ll likely make a friend or two when you volunteer. Sign up during a Human Nature volunteer day and meet new friends from other departments too.

5. Restore your faith in humanity. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of negative news. Find a new positive light by meeting every day heroes and meet the kids whose lives are changing because of Kusina ng Kalinga. “Your hands will get tired of chopping, peeling, and shredding but once you see the children’s smile’s after food distribution—it’s definitely worth it!” Micah Laxamana, Key Accounts Manager of the Retail Team said.

If you’re still wondering when to volunteer, you can still help Kusina ng Kalinga by supporting our partner social enterprises marked with Buy 1, Give 1 badge including First Harvest, who set out to provide 66,000 meals for Kusina ng Kalinga in 2017. For more information, visit: http://www.gk1world.com/kusinangkalinga-model.