The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to launch on Monday (December 16) its newest convergence initiative to address the needs of homeless families, children, and other individuals in street situations.
First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos is expected to grace the launching of the Walang Gutom Kitchen at the Nasdake Building, FB Harrison, Pasay City. DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian will keynote the event.
The new project aims to deliver multifaceted biopsychosocial services to address involuntary hunger and meet the diverse needs of its target clients.
“The Walang Gutom Kitchen is a community hub offering holistic solutions to homelessness and hunger, thus its primary clientele will be children, individuals, and families in street situations and other Filipinos experiencing involuntary hunger,” DSWD Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, the agency’s spokesperson, explained.
The DSWD spokesperson said the Walang Gutom Kitchen will feature the convergence of the three innovative programs of the agency. These are the Pag-Abot Program, Walang Gutom Program, and the Tara Basa! Tutoring Program.
Clients who were reached out through the Pag-Abot Program or those who are walk-ins in the hub will be provided with transient shelter or other basic needs upon assessment of social workers.
The Walang Gutom Kitchen will also facilitate individualized case management of clients including assessment, intervention, planning and progress tracking of homeless individuals for their development.
“At its core, the kitchen provides nutritious meals tailored to dietary needs, along with access to hygiene facilities, medical care, and laundry services. But this initiative goes beyond immediate relief because it includes learning and developmental interventions such as parenting education and character-building activities that will be held in the multipurpose facility through the establishment of Tara, Basa! reading corners,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out.
Each beneficiary of the Walang Gutom Kitchen will receive nutritional food provision worth Php50.00 per meal.
Aside from the provision of basic necessities, the Walang Gutom Kitchen also hopes to engage other community stakeholders in the provision of various developmental services to clients, especially on food provision following the mechanisms installed under Republic Act No. 9803 or the Food Donation Act of 2009. (AKDL)
