| Global Food Providers (GFP) might be a name you already know. Dr. Daniel and Tracy Daves founded this charitable organization several years ago and now operate the farm and processing/educational center in Potrerillos Abajo/Rovira. They provide near-organic vegetables and enriched free-range eggs at the Tuesday Market every week in Boquete and Potrerillos Arriba. In December we donated funds from the BVB Flood Relief Program so that Global Food Providers could purchase additional food to add to their own generous donation of vegetables for distribution in Cerro Punta and surrounding flood-ravaged areas.
And now we are learning how closely aligned are the missions of our two organizations. We are both committed to identifying the neediest individuals and families in our area to provide them food on a regular basis. We both serve widows, single moms and orphans, impoverished children, families of the handicapped, the vulnerable elderly, the indigenous and other malnourished people. Global Food Providers grows, processes and distributes fresh and dehydrated food; Buenos Vecinos purchases and distributes non-perishable food.
Global Food Providers also teaches local farmers and interested readers throughout the world, through Dr. Dave’s books and website, how to create a sustainable farm to feed themselves, their neighbors and their communities. Their farm is housed in 6000 sq. meters of greenhouse that produces vegetables of the highest available nutritional value. With the assistance of volunteers, they harvest, wash, cut and dehydrate these greens and turn them into a powder before they package them for our most vulnerable populations.
The super-foods of spinach, blue kale, swiss chard and mustard/collard greens build strong bodies and well-nourished brains. One heaping tablespoon of the powdered greens into the rice pot as it’s cooking infuses this local staple with the same nutrition as one full pound of green vegetables, a commodity sadly lacking in the homes of many poor families. But “green rice” might be a hard sell to these people, especially the children, even though the taste is still the same. So, enters a well-known and well-loved cartoon character familiar to most of the Latin American children, Popeye, a still-popular Saturday morning TV cartoon favorite. This figure is no longer copyrighted, so GFP uses him liberally in their education program to show the children that this is “what Popeye eats to make him strong”. The kids love the flavor and come back for more.
This is the point of convergence of our two programs. Buenos Vecinos is studying the feasibility of adding Global Food Providers’ super green powder packages to our clients’ monthly food baskets, the first available allotments going to our families with children. We are very enthusiastic about how this might enhance the health and well-being of our BVB families, and we will inform you of our progress down this exciting road.
Find out more about Global Food Providers as you view the above video or call Daniel Daves to volunteer to process foods at the farm on Thursday mornings or organize a group tour WhatApp +507 6121-0591. Or email them at info@globalfoodproviders.com For a comprehensive look at their programs, visit their website https://globalfoodproviders.com/ |
