Benque Viejo Food Bank Resources
Families and children in Benque Viejo, Belize are going hungry and need our help....for just $5 you can feed a family for a week!
Benque is a town of 7,000 people near the Guatemala border, and over 90% of people are currently unemployed due to the coronavirus and a lack of available jobs. The city has been under a strict police-enforced lockdown for two weeks, with no end in sight. Without strong healthcare, the country can't risk the virus spreading. But now families are starting to go hungry, and the country doesn't have food stamps or immediate assistance available, and there are no charities or food banks in town. The local Catholic church (run by SOLT priests, nuns and volunteers) has started giving out food packages 5 days per week on a first come basis. But there isn't money to keep it going for more than 2 weeks, and it is not able to help everyone who needs it. Hungry people are being turned away, because there isn't enough money available. This is where you can help - with as little as a $5 donation.
Thankfully basic food staples in Belize are affordable, and you can help feed a family for a week with just $5!
GOAL ONE: If we can raise $10,000 that will help feed 250 families (about 1000 people!) for the next 8 weeks.
Each $5 food bundle consists of:
- 4lbs of beans
- 4lbs of rice
- 2lbs of corn flour
- 1/2lb of sugar
A little background:
My family has been connected to Belize and the town of Benque for almost 30 years, and I lived there as a child. My sister Kelli lives there now, and is our main point of contact.
In January, Kelli and Joe Carvalho sold their business and moved with their 3 children to Benque, to build and establish a youth center.That project has been put on hold indefinitely as the city and country are on lockdown. Their family is currently safe and healthy, but a large portion of the town is at high risk.
Every penny collected in this fundraiser will go straight to helping those in need. There are no admin costs or middlemen. Kelli and Joe will continue to work with the church to get food directly into the hands of anyone who needs it.
The Catholic church in Benque Viejo has been run by SOLT (Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity) priests, nuns and volunteers for over 50 years. If you are interested in learning more about their mission in Benque Viejo, visit https://solt.net/volunteer-benque-viejo
If you have questions, suggestions, or want to help in other ways please reach out!
Thank you so much for your donations and prayers! They will all be put to good use!