The Food Project
Proyecto Vecinal de Alimentos de Mogán Nabohjelpen
The only food distribution point for needy families in the municipality of Mogán, on Gran Canaria’s tourist oriented Southwest coast, run entirely by volunteers and funded with private and corporate donations, of food and much needed extra funds. The Food Project has also been in the past awarded a subsidy by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, to assist with renting privately since the building they originally operated from was withdrawn by Mogán Town Council, forcing the project to rely on an expensive privately rented building to fulfil their needs, the Cabildo’s grant allowed them to hire a full time social worker to help process the hundreds of individuals who rely on this volunteer-led service.
While the subvention kindly awarded by the Island Council has helped the project to continue forwards, they still need to find ways to generate several thousand euro’s extra to what it costs to feed all of the families and individuals who rely on their work. Their costs just to keep the doors open amount to €3000 a month.
The Food Project are a group of concerned members of the local community who actively participate in improving the quality of life for their fellow citizens in the Municipality of Mogán, unaided by the local town hall or municipal social services department.
History
Established in 1993, the Neighbours’ Association of Las Lomas de Arguineguín works on finding viable solutions to various issues involving social exclusion, the environment, consumers’ rights, public health and much more besides. They coordinate with several other organisations including the Red Cross, Civil Protection, the Norwegian Community of Mogán (made up of several wonderfully generous and caring groups and clubs including the Norwegian Sailor Church, the Norwegian Club, the Scandinavian Tourist Church, the “Los Amigos” collective, “Las Damas del Sombrero”, the “Club de la Memoria Corta”, Bowling Club of Patalavaca, “Academy of Seniors”, and the Norwegian School, among others), The Food Bank of Las Palmas (European Federation of Food Banks), the English-speaking Catholic Community of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, and are supported by on going project work and an annual donation from The Long Walk Gran Canaria.
They have been distributing basic foods and other items, to needy families who approach them for help, since 2008. They collect and distribute food and financial donations, clothing, furniture, household items of all types that are still in usable condition.
The project also have a core team of volunteers who offer additional help such as language lessons free of charge to anyone interested, in an effort to improve their possibilities for finding a job. Currently they offer Spanish for Foreigners, English and German lessons.
Their operations are centered in Arguineguín where they originally had use of a public building belonging to the people of Mogán. However the local town hall removed access to that facility during the pandemic, forcing this privately organised volunteer-led team to actively seek alternatives, resulting in a privately hired storage facility, from which they are now able to continue to deliver the services required by more than 400 individuals every week.
They offer their services to persons residing across the municipality of Mogán and the Barranco de Arguineguín who can document their need for assistance by means of a report issued by a certified Social Worker, who can also identify family members in their charge. In this way The Food Project helps to ensure that families awaiting assistance from the local social services system, which can take in excess of 3 months to even be decided, can still eat and try to move forward as they tackle sometimes extreme levels of poverty, right in the middle of one of Gran Canaria’s wealthiest tourism municipalities.
Currently they have over 00 individuals on their weekly list, of all ages, backgrounds, nationalities, with each family seen as distinct in their particular needs. Some are retired but find their meagre pensions insufficient, others are unemployed or underemployed, ill, single mothers with no benefits or support, those unable to work for lack of proper papers, etc.; some are homeless, and there some who suffer from addiction or who have other forms trouble preventing them from living a normal healthy life in society …. At least 20% of all those being helped are non-Spanish citizens.
How you can help
The project needs volunteers to raise funds, gather food items, deliver donations to their facility, collect items such as bread from bakeries at the end of the day and freeze it to be distributed frozen on Tuesdays, to inform them of any available food that they could distribute, to help those in need to recover their independence by means of worthwhile occupation, if you are looking for a cleaner, a babysitter, a caretaker for the elderly, even part time or now and again, this can help someone to make some money that will help them feel productive and reduce their debts.
They have a programme called “Adopt a Family” – individuals may commit to covering certain basic expenses for a particular family (any one or a specific one) such as helping to pay their utilities, etc., for any amount you choose, or help by covering the expenses for schoolbooks for children, outfits for school, dental expenses, etc.
A group of retired ladies (the Hattedamene) sponsored baby and children’s food for over 60 children, between newborn and age 12, when there are available funds the project purchase nappies for children under age 3. They are also helping university students to continue their studies, despite coming from backgrounds of extreme poverty, and contributing to the payment of other courses that will help a person become more employable.
The project are deeply grateful for your support!
En Español
Donate Here – Donar Aqui
They have a bank account: Any amount is welcome! if you wish to make a donation earmarked for a special need (dental costs for a child, nappies, rent, eggs, potatoes, baby food, a specific family, transportation, school material, etc.), please state it when making your deposit or transfer.
IBAN ES50 0081-1394-11-0001028108 y SWIFT BSABESBB
Banca Sabadell