Just in time for the finals CatSU, ARDCI launch student’s pantry

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Just in time for the finals CatSU, ARDCI launch student’s pantry

Catanduanes State University in collaboration with Agricultural and Rural Development for Catanduanes Inc. (ARDCI) Corporation created a Community Pantry with a particular goal in mind; to help alleviate the food insecurity that students are currently facing specifically at this time when the final exams are coming up in the university.

The project called Student Pantry, is an offshoot of a fund-raising activity that was held last month by ARDCI Microfinancing Inc. and its corporate organization, headed by Dr. Ma. Cecilia L. Zantua, Managing Director of ARDCI Foundation.

According to Dr. Zantua, the project is envisioned to help the students especially upon learning that most often than not, they would sacrifice to skip meals just to save their allowance for some other school’s needs. She further said that this this project is not just a project to help people in need but also a project of honesty and kindness.

“It is a test of kindness as we look for people who can give what they can, and Honesty – for students to get only what they need, and to think about the rest too who like them are also in need. It is a challenge to the heart”, Dr. Zantua said.

Ms. Karie Ann V. Santos, Project Manager shared that the general mechanism is like that of the community pantry during the pandemic with those students included in the low-income families as target beneficiaries.

“We encourage the students to avail of the program, they can get from here some of their basic daily needs like canned goods, biscuits, and the like. Also we encourage other students, employees, faculty, friends and acquaintances with generous hearts to share your blessing here at the CatSU Student Pantry. We can’t do this alone; we’ll also need help from our community members so we can help our future professionals to be successful by simply providing some of their basic needs”, Ms. Santos said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Aida A. Dianela, one of ARDCI’s consultants, and a former CatSU Director of Student Affairs of CatSU, and also a member of the CatSU Board of Regents, was happy to share about the Student Pantry.

“We are here to help those who are so disenfranchised in life and I see that the happiness, the love, the caring is so great, it is at its maximum height”, Dr. Dianela gladly shared.

Dr. Dianela, in closing, enjoined everyone from CATSU to share, especially those who may already have extras, to help in sharing to those who have little or less in life.

“What’s important is we help make people’s lives light, lighter, happier and more meaningful by what we have done. Let us always remember that it is really not what we give that matters, but it is what we share because a gift without the giver is bare”, Dr. Dianela said.

The pantry, located at the pavilion of the former Office of Student Support Services, is open from 8AM−6PM, Mondays through Saturdays.  All students are welcome to use the pantry once a week, and only need their student ID to gain access to its multitude of free resources — including canned goods, hygiene products, biscuits and more. #CVecilles