These High School Students Are Creating a Sustainable Food Hub in Bulacan
In this day and age, it’s not enough to set up a non-profit organization that will address present needs. If the current slew of organizations is any indication, a truly dynamic foundation is collaborative, holistic, and future-forward, and that means considering other factors such as environmental change. This is exactly the fulcrum of Future Faces, which advocates for food sanitation, food quality, and proper nutrition for all.
The group has been evolving since it was established in 2011 by Winnie Wong, but it continues to be helmed by students, namely: Sam Concepcion, Saskia Giraud, Luc Giraud, Sarina Malik, and Erika Poturnak.
This year marks its biggest project yet: a soup kitchen or ‘food hub’ made of eco-bricks that will cater to impoverished communities in Bulacan. Although this seems ambitious for a group of young students, what it has achieved so far will debunk all kinds of disbelief. With its goal to raise P4 million, it's already made it past the halfway mark. Not bad, considering it had only begun fundraising efforts earlier this year.
Part of these efforts included a Zumba class led by Ina Raymundo, selling oil diffusers, and hosting a charity gala that happened last September. But aside from monetary capital, the group has been busy collecting plastic waste which will be repurposed into eco-bricks. These eco-bricks will then serve as the foundation for the food hub which will feature a state-of-the-art kitchen.
Future Faces is closely working with Project Pearls, Green Antz, and Unilever’s Love, Beauty, and Planet in order to make this dream a reality. Through Project Pearls, the group was able to clinch the land space in Bulacan. With the help of Love, Beauty, and Planet, the group is able to collect more plastic waste; and through Green Antz, these plastics will be transformed into robust and cost-effective eco-bricks. It’s amazing how collaboration and community can make a difference.
Once the soup kitchen or ‘food hub’ is up and running, the sustainability factor will continue to thrive through the feeding program. Restaurants will provide unused produce and food donations to create wholesome, nutritious meals, made by in-house chefs. More than that, the food hub will also serve as a place for learning, where the group will conduct educational modules on hygiene, nutrition, and eco-friendly lifestyle.
Although the concept of a feeding program isn’t a novelty, it’s the focus on sustainability that makes this non-profit organization larger than life, and their vision of accessible food all the more attainable.
To donate or to learn more about the foundation, visit the official website or follow their Facebook page.
