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Help Gabriella keep the Open Hands Pantry pantry stocked

Help keep a free food pantry open for families facing hunger in Bergamo.

🇮🇹 Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy2,495 views
Gabriella Sara Donati
Email verified
Bergamo
Since 2022, our volunteer team has run Open Hands Pantry every Friday from the back of a borrowed garage. We started with 18 families, and now we feed 216 each week. Donations have dropped by about 36% this summer, while the line has grown every single week. We rely on volunteers - 16 of us - and keep no salaries or overhead. I buy staples at wholesale prices at the Bergamo market and keep every receipt. Each $20 feeds a family of four for a week. I'll post the weekly shopping receipts and a photo of the shelves each Sunday. Where the $1,200 goes: • Fresh vegetables and fruit: $720 • Refrigeration and electricity: $100 • Baby formula and diapers: $380 Please ask me anything in the questions section. I'll answer honestly and quickly. - Gabriella
#food-pantry#hunger#volunteer-led#food

Updates from Gabriella

  1. Good news. Because of your gifts ($803 in total) the plan for fresh vegetables and fruit is now scheduled. Still a way to go but it feels less lonely.

  2. Thank you all. We're at 66% now ($798). I'm honestly stunned. the first invoice got paid this week.

  3. Thank you all. We're at 40% now ($478). I'm honestly stunned. I met with the wholesaler and confirmed the amounts.

Donations

RecentTop gifts
  • Étienne Perrot 🇫🇷 · $50

    “God bless. Shared with friends too. - Limoges”

  • Francis L. Hernandez 🇵🇭 · $20

    “Every little bit. Hope the January deadline works out. - Manila”

  • Beatrice Joyce Ngowi 🇰🇪 · $15
  • Budi Imam Budiman 🇮🇩 · $10
  • Ana Acosta 🇲🇽 · $30
  • Valentina Valentina Dinu 🇷🇴 · $58
  • Helen Dagmawit Demissie 🇪🇹 · $25

    “Good luck. Gave what I could this week. - Hawassa”

  • Autumn T. White 🇺🇸 · $25
  • Zeeshan Ismail 🇵🇰 · $50
  • Alexandre Guilherme Albuquerque 🇧🇷 · $5
  • Payal S. Garg 🇮🇳 · $25

    “You got this. My cousin told me about this one. - Kanpur”

  • Alejandro Flores 🇲🇽 · $10
  • Halyna Milena Davydov 🇷🇺 · $4

    “Only $4 but hope it helps. - Novosibirsk”

  • Luis A. Mora 🇺🇸 · $100
  • Monika Leni Wagner 🇩🇪 · $5
  • Lestari Sri Pratama 🇮🇩 · $10
  • William Powers 🇺🇸 · $25
  • Gerald M. Ramos 🇵🇭 · $10

    “Hope this helps. Thought of Gabriella all day after reading this. - Quezon City”

  • Biniam Nahom Eshetu 🇪🇹 · $25
  • Anonymous 🇪🇬 · $50

Reviews

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Questions & comments

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  • Jean Garnier

    So sorry you're going through this, Gabriella. Projects like this are what make a place worth living in. My neighbor in Badagry donated after I showed her your page. Blessings

    • Josiah T. Bridges

      Sending strength, Gabriella. Shared this with my family. I told my book club about it and three of them are giving too.

      • John Ayala

        Hope it all works out, Gabriella. It takes guts to ask. Well done. My daughter saw me on my phone and now she wants to give her pocket money. Greetings from Birmingham

        • Dipa Sherpa

          Keep going. Your post was clear and honest. My cousin had a similar thing happen so this one hit home. God bless.

          • Carla P. Davids

            keep going. Hope the build day goes well, wish I lived closer. My neighbor had a similar thing happen so this one hit home. Thinking of Bergamo.

            • Deniz Hakan Şahin

              Good luck, Gabriella. Great idea, hope you get there. I have a 9 year old who wants to send good wishes too. Blessings.

              • Sanjay D. Sharma

                You're not alone. I hope things turn around soon. Greetings from Kilkenny

                • Bongani B. Fourie

                  Hang in there, Gabriella. Gave what I could, wish it was more!

                  $1,229.50 raised of $1,200

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