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Over 260 food packs handed out at MAHAL community pantry
Members and volunteers of the Marianas Advocates for Humanitarian Affairs Limited help distribute care packages at the walk-in and drive-through Saipan Community Pantry last weekend at the Kilili Pavilion. It was previously reported that around 250 care packages were to be distributed over the weekend— more than 260 packages were distributed on Saturday alone. (JOSHUA SANTOS)
The first ever Saipan Community Pantry initiative of the Marianas Advocates for Humanitarian Affairs Limited handed out over 260 packages last Saturday at the Kilili Pavilion in Susupe with some donations actually made at the site itself during the distribution.
With the help of large donations from various volunteers and colleagues, MAHAL was able to give more than what they initially expected to distribute. “We had some friends helping us, and there were some other groups that dropped by and gave some food items,” said MAHAL president Rene Reyes.
It was previously reported that around 250 care packages filled with non-perishable food items and bags of rice were to be distributed over the weekend, but the group was able to hand out more packages.
Additionally, Reyes briefly talked about how unexpectedly well-received his claim stub system was. For the community pantry, MAHAL requested that those interested in receiving a care package over the weekend had to register with them on Friday at the Kilili Pavilion. “When I was here at 7:30 [on Friday] there were people that said they were waiting since five in the morning,” said Reyes.
He promised to announce through the media when and where the next community pantries will be, as well as future announcements on when and where registration for claim stubs will open. “I’m very thankful to the community for their support, and we will still [try to] continue to do this in the following weeks, God willing,” he said.
