Food Baskets for the Vulnerable

Spring 2020 saw public transportation shut down in Guatemala City, all but essential businesses were shuttered, and there was a strict curfew from 4 p.m. till 4 a.m. A huge number of families who live paycheck to paycheck had their income disappear. We partnered with Fundación Pantaleon, Spectrum Properties, the municipal government, and others to fund a project that delivered food to families in need. The project built on a pre-existing program for at-risk kids—Niños en Riesgo de Calle— which meant the infrastructure was in place. The distribution of the food—including beans, sweet potatoes, peanuts, powdered milk, vegetable oil, eggs, corn flour, pasta, rice, and fortified drinks, as well as hygiene products—was coordinated with the municipality. The elderly were also served. The program delivered baskets containing food meant to last six people for a month to 2,700 families.