CDO Partnered with Brand Buzz Moms

Brand Buzz PH

A mom’s search for a homeless lolo turns into a huge frontliner feeding program with CDO

When a community of mommy bloggers came together to feed disadvantaged families in Tondo, little did they know that their project would turn into a huge frontliner feeding program in partnership with CDO.

The Photo that Started It All

It was the first week of ECQ when PR professional Clara “Gie” Ramos saw a video of an elderly man who said, “mauuna pa kami mamatay sa gutom bago kami mamatay sa virus.”

That image prompted Gie to send a message to her community of mommy bloggers, asking for any leads on how to help him. Eventually they found out that the man was staying at the Delpan Evacuation Center in Tondo along with many informal settlers. The blogger community raised P18,000 to buy ingredients and cook for the families at Delpan. “Hindi madaling maglabas ng pera ngayon, pero maraming tumulong,” said Gie.

JM Lavadia, a single mother, told Gie, “I can’t contribute financially, but I can help with logistics.” JM volunteered her home as a storage and dispatch center, coordinating with suppliers, cooks, and delivery riders.

When the mommy bloggers received the photos of the grateful lolos and lolas eating the meals they sent, they were deeply moved. They felt that they Can DO more.

A Bigger Goal

Two of the bloggers happen to be nurses, and they suggested to help medical frontliners, too. With the project getting bigger, Gie knew that they would need corporate partners for support, and CDO was one of the first to respond. Under its CSR program #CDOnates, the company donated food products that enabled the moms to cook home-style meals for the frontliners.

“There are about 5 of us volunteers who cook 50 meals each per day,” explained Krisha Nandwani, a mom of two. “Then we distribute them to different government hospitals. It’s difficult to go out and buy ingredients nowadays, kaya ang laking tulong sa amin ng CDO products! We would prepare pasta dishes topped with Danes cheese, and rice meals with CDO Funtastyk tocino – gustong-gusto ng frontliners ‘yun!”

Roadblocks and Rewards

With many restrictions under ECQ, there were challenges in the sourcing of ingredients and delivery. Fortunately, CDO’s donation took take care of it . But the biggest challenge for the volunteers was physical and emotional exhaustion. Gie shared, “I became so busy to the point of sacrificing my time with my family. But so were the frontliners, that’s why I can’t stop. But things got better once we figured out a system.”

“And when the doctors and nurses send their photos enjoying the food, seeing their joy and reading their messages make everything worth it. Nakaka-inspire,” mused Krisha.

For JM, her 7-year-old daughter also inspires her to keep going. “When I see her writing notes to the frontliners and praying for them nang hindi ko inuutusan – I know we are doing something right.”

What Collaboration Can DO

CDO and the mommy bloggers are now aiming to feed 7,000 frontliners in Metro Manila and Bulacan. “With partners like CDO who are committed to working with volunteers like us in feeding our brave frontliners, we Can DO this,” said Gie.

Even in the darkest times, with the teamwork of compassionate individuals, caring communities and big-hearted organizations, there is so much we Can DO together to make the world brighter.