As of yesterday, Caritas Macau’s Food Sharing Project has distributed emergency food packs to about 5,600 people who registered with their Macau Health Codes, among them 963 people who registered as “desperately in need”, Secretary-General Paul Pun Chi Meng told The Macau Post Daily at the Caritas donations distribution facility on Avenida do Coronel Mesquita on Sunday.
Pun later provided additional information on the project through WeChat yesterday.
The project, which ended yesterday, had been carried out by Caritas since July 25, aiming to help those in need during Macau’s COVID-19 outbreak by offering them emergency food packs.
According to Pun, in order to support the project, some people donated food, including rice, noodles, bread, canned foods and cooking oil, which were provided as emergency food packs to those in need, while cash donations were used to buy the food for the food packs and also to purchase supermarket vouchers which enable recipients to buy vegetables. Some of the money has also been reserved for those who registered for baby formula for their infants, Pun added.
Pun said that as the government anti-COVID-19 consolidation period ended yesterday, another food distribution will be made to those who have benefitted from the food sharing project. However, Pun added, he believed that there will be more people registering for the food packs so that Caritas will distribute the donated food based on the amount of food the Catholic charity receives. Pun said: “We are hoping more people will be able to receive different types of food to support their basic needs for at least three to four days.”
Pun told The Macau Post Daily that the food pack provided on Sunday comprised around two kilogrammes of rice, two to three packs of macaroni, pasta or instant noodles, and canned food or seasoning, adding that some people also got a bread roll, but always depends on the donations that Caritas had received.
People in line on Sunday mostly were non-local residents (NRWs), with a small number of them from the mainland, Pun said, adding that those desperately in need are people who have been unemployed for a period of time and living at their friends’ residential units with “zero” income. Pun underlined that “their compatriots are unable to help them anymore as they’re currently on unpaid leave.” The remainder includes those who suddenly have no income due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, making it difficult for them to get through, Pun noted.
Pun also said that the food-sharing project may not be able to meet all needs due to limited resources, but, he stressed, at least a “window” has been provided for those who are currently in need, and for people in need to feel that non-government organisations (NGOs) will help them overcome the difficulties together with the community.
Meanwhile, Pun also said that Caritas is currently collecting a new batch of food, noting that from today through Thursday, volunteers will accept food donations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the entrance of Saint John de Brito School. Pun said that in view of the fact that many people are in need of food support through the project, Caritas is now collecting a new batch of food. Pun added: “We hope to launch the second round of food sharing for those in need”.
This photo taken on Sunday shows Secretary-General Paul Pun Chi Meng posing at the Caritas donations distribution facility on Avenida do Coronel Mesquita.
This photo shows food packs being prepared on Sunday for people in need.
Photos: Maria Cheang Ut Meng
