Our volunteers’ involvement in Madrid’s Food Bank campaign, “Great Food Collection,” and the family volunteer Christmas celebration, stand out among all the Foundation’s volunteer activity of this month.
Madrid’s Food Bank Campaign, “Great Food Collection”
This major campaign of solidarity took place in the city of Madrid on November 29th , 30th and December 1st and according to sources of Madrid’s Food Bank, resulted in the collection of over 1.5 million kilos of food.
For the same event, major food retail chains collaborated with the campaign facilitating donor sites. In addition, 15,000 volunteers participated including 130 Foundation volunteers from youth organizations with whom FPSC has signed a voluntary partnership.
Volunteers of FPSC from associations Traina, Torrelaguna, Roca, Recoletos, Peñablanca, Fontana, Balsain, Albufera, and from Residences Halls, Zurbarán and Somosierra, participated in the collection of non-perishable food in malls from the following commercial chain businesses, Mercadona, Carrefour Market , Supercor Express, Opencor, Simply-Sabeco, Caprabo, DIA and Auchan located in different districts of Madrid.
Our volunteers participated with great enthusiasm and dedication in the huge celebration for solidarity promoted by the Food Bank of Madrid.
Thanks to the success of the campaign, the Food Bank of Madrid has increased by 20% the amount granted to over 450 charities it serves. With them, it will be able to serve more beneficiaries and improve the diet of people in need with high caloric foods such as legumes, pasta, rice, oil- ideal in these colder months.
Family Volunteer Campaign on the occasion of Christmas
Families of Tablas Valverde School participated in Christmas activities scheduled within the family volunteering projects that FPSC coordinates with APA school in the Residence of Our Lady of the Way.
The residents are people with intellectual disabilities.
On Saturday December 14th, school families from the Residence accompanied our friends to see a live nativity scene and to live Christmas. Fathers, mothers, children from 0 to 14 years, professional staff of Our Lady of the Way residence and residents participated in this great celebration.
The living Bethlehem scene was organized by the St. Mary Parish Benedicta of the Cross, Edith Stein and is the only living Bethlehem in Madrid. It consisted of fifteen scenes of Jesus’ childhood, each of which was assembled and represented by a family in the broadest sense: parents, children, cousins, nephews, and friends.
Volunteers and residents toured the scenes one after another with great joy, and with the culminating moment when they reached the scene depicting the betrothal of the Virgin Mary and S. Joseph, the actors being José M ª Isabel and Carlos of Our Lady of the Way Residence.
In total there were about two hundred people involved.
The next day, fewer FPSC volunteers attended the Christmas Festival organized by the Residence at the College of Mirasierra Virgin along with other volunteers from Club AVANCE, Edith Stein Parish, the Parish of San Germán and College Prado.
It was a very cheerful, at times spectacular Festival, where our friends showed great their interpretive and musical gifts.