Eastern Harvest Food Bank, a non-profit charity organization, has taken it upon itself to provide food for hungry people who are above the age of 50 years daily, in New Juaben Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The aim of the food bank is to reduce hunger, whiles respecting the integrity of the aged in the society and promotion of volunteerism within the Eastern Region and beyond.
The food bank in less than a month after it was established, has fed close to 400 old people giving them rice, oil, beans, tomato paste, gari, sugar on a daily basis, with beneficiaries just having to provide a proof of their age.
In an interview with Citi News, the Director of Eastern Harvest Food Bank, Eric Darko, bemoaned the lack of volunteerism in the country.
“The vision of the food bank is to reduce hunger in Ghana and promote volunteerism amongst people above the age of 50 years. Volunteerism is almost nonexistent in Ghana, as everyone expects reward for every little effort we put into our work, this mentality has to change and plans are underway to educate the public more about volunteerism. People above 50 years are vulnerable and must be supported in all areas that we can.”
According to the Director, Eric Darko, the idea of supporting the aged in the society “started when I was selected to participate in a United States Department of State program/International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in June 2015, and as part of the program, I volunteered at Northwest Harvest Food bank in Seattle. That was when the idea of setting up a food bank in Ghana was born.”
Mr. Darko acknowledged the support of other donors which has led to the sustainability of the Food Bank and asked “benevolent donors to take some time off their busy schedules to come around and help distribute the items whilst interacting and spending time with our aged parents.”
He also said “food shared at the food bank are nutritious and healthy and will not affect beneficiaries negatively. Our benevolent donors understand the concept of healthy living and we always go the extra mile to access the items with the help of other volunteers who work with Municipal Nutrition Office and the Foods and Drugs Authority.”
He said he plans to expand the food bank to other regions.
“We hope to expand the program to the other districts and regions in the country, and we can only do this if the youth, other civil societies, well to do in the society who have the interest of our old citizens at heart contribute their quota so I am calling on our teaming youth not to spend all their earnings on alcohol and luxurious lifestyle, but invest in the aged in our society for we may turn to them for advice.”
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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana