Community Pantry set up in a Votualevu supermarket

If you are in Nadi and need basic food items but do not have the means to buy it, you can go to Everyday Supermarket in Votualevu as they have started handing out free long loaves of bread and inspired by this, a family has set up a Community Pantry in the store.

The supermarket has started handing out 100 long loaves of bread every day from Monday.

The Santo-Eastgate family has organised the Community Pantry where they also decided to contribute by starting a stock where people can grab items they need for free.

Tessa Santo-Eastgate says she asked the manager and supervisor if they can shop for items in their supermarket to also donate to people in need where the owners agreed, and the staff offered them space on the same shelf as their free bread.

She says they are encouraging other Nadi residents to also purchase items they can donate to the Community Pantry to keep it stocked up.

Santo-Eastgate says this way, they are helping people in need and at the same time supporting the business of Everyday Supermarket for their kindness and generosity.

She says people can place food items such as powdered milk, tea, coffee, breakfast crackers, canned goods, noodles, flour, cooking oil and cleaning agents and toiletries such as soap powder, bath soap, toothpaste on the shelf.

The Nadi resident hopes more shoppers donate to re-stock it as all the items on this shelf have been collected as of this morning.

She says they also hope these efforts encourage other supermarkets and community members to start something like this in other containment zones as well and adds that these initiatives can only be sustained if other members of the community contribute.