CCE March 29th, 2010
Ambassador to the Philippines
Chef and Child Foundation
Report on Chef and Child Activity in Tagum City Mindanao, The Philippines:
When I first came to Mindanao, I saw a society that is struggling. Schools here, including the public schools cost the parents money. It is not uncommon for a family to have as many as 9 children, so school, any medical needs, and food, are often “divided” among the children. As an educator and retired chef I saw a desperate need to provide food for these children. These types of mass feedings (250 kids at a time) are the simplest way to do something. I have two feedings a month currently which I pay for out of my $350 usd a month teacher’s pension. As I feed them, the Purok health care workers record their weight which is thoroughly documented for their records and mine. It was and still is immediately apparent that while these children have homes and family, that they are woefully mal nourished and dangerously underweight. For example, one 10 year old girl barely made 16 kilos weight (35.2 pounds). I realized that to help them gain and maintain a healthy weight they would have to eat EVERY day.
The Tagum City Chef and Child Food Bank was then born. I went to the Purok leaders and presented the idea to them, which they readily embraced. They donated a building for the purpose of installing a food bank there and it will be completed within the month. These Purok Leaders have records of every child that lives there and they know who needs the food, so those children will be issued a food bank card that will allow them to receive 5 kilos a week of rice and other canned goods from the food bank. I will need at least 500 kilos of rice each week to begin.
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In order to facilitate this very real need and to accept money transfers, and donations, I am getting Foundation status with the Securities and Exchange Commission here, (they say it will take two weeks). I am going to name the foundation “Food For Children Philippines”, and the food bank will have a sign that carries the name of “Chef and Child Food Bank Tagum”. As soon as I have the Foundation status and a Bank account (currently the separate bank account is in my name), I will open a web page and a donate button so people may donate directly with any credit card. While there are many needs on this planet, here is one place to start the process of daily feeding that is sustainable, not expensive, and I hope to see it grow to every Barangay in Mindanao. The above links contain pictures of the feedings, and the Food Bank building, and do not require log in or membership to view. Please have a look at them and let me know what you think. As always, I am available for any questions you may have.
Chef David Wasson CCC, CCE
Chef3@teacher.com 084-400-6385 / 09202368890
(Chef David Wasson CCC, CCE is a chef, caterer and teacher in Seattle Washington ( 35 years), where he won many awards for Innovative Nutrition Education, and teaches AAS degree classes in French Culinary Theory and Nutrition for the Seattle Community College District (20 years). He wrote “That’s Fresh” Kids Cooking Team’s curriculum for the Chef and Child Foundation, and a cookbook for children. This ongoing process of teaching and feeding children is now directly focused on the City of Tagum, where he now lives).
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