- Musmanni’s Ayudar es Pan Comido (Helping is a Piece of Cake) campaign contributed ¢16 million to the Costa Rican Food Bank in 2023 and continues in 2024
- The total impact of donations derived from the sale of melcochón bread exceeds 8,800 people
Children, families, senior citizens, homeless and other people at social risk receive food and basic necessities every month through donations made by private sector companies to the Costa Rican Food Bank.
The non-profit organization acts as a collection and distribution center for the food collected thanks to the contributions of companies such as FIFCO, which in 2023 contributed 16 million colones to the cause through the Ayudar es Pan Comido campaign of the Musmanni bakery chain.
The aid mainly reached a group of 3,785 children, who receive care from associations, foundations and care centers. 1,141 families, 922 people in rehabilitation or street conditions, 904 indigenous people, 300 refugees and 213 senior citizens, among others, also benefitted through the Food Bank’s social and community partner organizations.
On a monthly basis, FIFCO set aside a percentage of the profits generated by the sale of melcochón bread in stores throughout the country to support the Bank’s work. The funds collected throughout the year allowed providing assistance to a total of 8,874 people in the provinces of San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago, Guanacaste and Limón.
The 10 cantons with the most beneficiaries were San José, Desamparados, Mora, Goicoechea and Alajuelita in San José; La Unión in Cartago; Santa Cruz in Guanacaste; Guácimo in Limón and the central cantons of Alajuela and Heredia.
In 2023, the Food Bank assisted 41,000 people per month in 63 of the country’s 84 cantons with more than 3,900 tons of products, ranging from prepared foods to household and personal hygiene items.
Francia Linares Orozco, Executive Director of the Costa Rican Food Bank, emphasized: “Initiatives such as Ayudar es Pan Comido allow our organization to benefit on a monthly basis populations that do not have access to basic food resources and basic necessities, directly serving the hungry population and thus seeking to benefit the population in poverty and social vulnerability”.
The Ayudar es Pan Comido initiative continues
After its success in 2023, the Ayudar es Pan Comido initiative will continue to be active.
This alliance is part of FIFCO’s Expanding Sustainability strategy, with which the company intends to generate a positive impact and achieve goals in the Social, Environmental and Governance areas.
María Pía Robles, FIFCO’s Corporate Relations Director, sustained: “At FIFCO we implement concrete initiatives that support those who need it most. With Ayudar es Pan Comido we recognize that nutrition is a fundamental factor of human well-being and dignity. We are proud to be allies of the Food Bank and support its relevant work for the benefit of hundreds of organizations that seek precisely to feed, take care and give love. This is the ultimate goal of our expansive sustainability agenda.”
To continue supporting the organization, in 2023 FIFCO also created the traditional Costa Rican food recipe book Tradiciones Compartidas (Shared Traditions). The profit generated by the sale of the copies in Musi and Musmanni stores will be added to the Bank’s resources for social assistance.
The challenge of fighting poverty and food insecurity
In Costa Rica, approximately one out of every five households lives in poverty, and 6.3% experience extreme poverty, according to measurements by the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC).
These populations are the most likely to suffer from food insecurity, a risk that increases due to the high cost of food in the country.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, in Costa Rica the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity increased from 12.2% to 16.2% and is more prevalent among women. The persistence of these conditions has a negative impact on people’s health conditions and limits their possibilities for development.
