There is always something to be grateful for everyday, even in these trying times. On 23 August 2020, Move Food Initiative, in partnership with AGREA Foundation, launched the “Crate-ful” Drive. It is Move Food Initiative’s way of extending gratitude to everyone who supports the movement; they are the ones who are making it possible for the initiative to keep on moving healthy fruits and vegetables from every corner of the country, to tables of Filipino families.
Crate-ful Drive contains fruits from Davao such as mangosteen, lanzones, and mangoes, in support of Davaoeño farmers. For every crate purchased, the drive sets aside 2 kilograms of rice, half a kilo of monggo, pinakbet vegetables, face masks, and healthy limited-edition pineapple jam intentionally produced by the AGREA Rescue Kitchen (ARK). These packs are to be donated to jeepney drivers and garbage collectors.
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(Left) AGREA and Move Food Initiative’s “We are Crateful” Drive. (Right) Representative of the Garbage Collectors and Dispatchers Association received good food through the Crate-ful drive from AGREA representative: Sonia Gonzales and Christine Jodloman.
"Together we can all make a difference and while enjoying healthy and filling fruits, those who are in need will also have good food on their tables"
Says Sonia Gonzales, AGREA’s Business Operations Manager, and the one who initiated the Crate-ful Drive.
"In just 5 days, all our fruit crates were sold out, making it possible for us to deliver good food to 84 jeepney drivers, and 12 garbage collectors"
she added.
Through the Crate-ful Drive and AGREA Foundation, 84 jeepney drivers of Bagong Silangan Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (BJODA), and 12 members of Garbage Collectors and Dispatchers Association received the packs. The distribution was done last 30 August, 2020, a day before National Heroes Day.
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Jeepney drivers were greatly affected by the health crisis, as public transportation was not allowed to operate for months. The distribution of goods was in partnership with Barter for Jeepney Drivers –a group that “pools together individuals who can spare unused items that can be bartered for food, and be given to jeepney drivers”.
(Left) 84 jeepney drivers of Bagong Silangan Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association received good food through the Crate-ful Drive. (Right) Members of Bagong Silangan Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association, and AGREA representatives: Sonia Gonzales and Christine Jodloman.
As a movement founded on gratitude, Move Food Initiative was able to move (as of 15 August 2020) 177, 330 kilos of fruits and vegetables; delivered to 70, 527 Filipino families; helped 20, 182 Filipino smallholder-farmers, partnered with and donated 4,594 kilos of food to 10 kitchens feeding frontliners, and delivered 154 GrowKits for urban agriculture.