PANAJI
The Food Bank Sangolda, a project of Street Providence, has collected 60 tonnes of surplus food from nine factories at Verna Industrial Estate (VIE) in the last 11 months.
The food collected in food grade plastic reusable containers is then sent to feed the poor under the Baina flyover and some food is sent to Street Providence’s men’s shelter homes in North and South Goa.
Donald Fernandes of Street Providence explained that their food bank truck visits nine factories in the VIE between 2.30 pm and 4 pm six days a week, collecting warm freshly cooked canteen food which the staff of these factories were unable to consume.
“It’s an operation which runs on precise time management as well as a near foolproof hygiene system, with no chance to having any food contamination,’ said Fernandes.
“We thank these nine companies for giving away their extra cooked food for a worthy cause.”
Donald Fernandes of Street Providence stated that the Factories & Boilers department headed by Chief Inspector of Factories Anant Pangam is the one of the main architects, in implementing this massive food collection reaching their food bank, rather reaching the dumps as waste.
“Through this Food Bank project, we turn surplus food into support for those in need and thus, so much of wet waste is reduced due to the food bank,” said Fernandes.
He acknowledged Secretary of Factories and Boilers Sanjit Rodrigues as being the motivating factor, who has supported and given his full attention in getting this project up and running.
“From April 25, Rodrigues has set a target of 15 companies and 100 tonnes a year to be given to the Food Bank, resulting in 100 tonnes of wet waste being reduced directly,” Fernandes added.
