For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Leezel Tanglao
August 3, 2020
150 FASGI Care Packages Distributed To Los Angeles Area Frontliners Through FYLPRO-Funded Project
Los Angeles – Filipino frontliners in the Los Angeles area received a bit of the bayanihan spirit through the form of care packages.
In furtherance of its COVID-19 response efforts, the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) provided financial support to the “BalikBAHAY” care package distribution project spearheaded by the Filipino American Service Group Inc. (FASGI) in Los Angeles on July 20-25, 2020. Each BaikBAHAY Box consisted of essential items targeted to help frontline workers and vulnerable community members weather the coronavirus pandemic.
In June, FYLPRO awarded FASGI $2,100 to help fund 150 boxes. The FASGI project is one of two programs FYLPRO supported through its COVID-19 relief fund.
“The “BalikBAHAY” Box Project is a concept that was developed because we were thinking of helping the people who are most vulnerable and who have been there in the front lines but not paid any attention to,” said FASGI Executive Director Yey Coronel. “There are frontliners that were not given much attention to and they provide needed services for people. And so we decided to look for these people that were overlooked and we decided to work with people in the food industry, in the hospitality industry.”
More than 20 volunteers helped to assemble the boxes. Volunteers delivered the boxes to several Los Angeles area restaurants and bakeries including Big Boi and Titas of Manila.
“During a time when the world is full of uncertainty, FASGI brought COVID-19 care packages to my awesome staff. It meant a lot to them to be recognized that they are here daily to prepare the food that is made in mind with safety first, along with love and comfort,” said Big Boi Chef Barb Batiste. “Thank you FASGI for including B Sweet and Big Boi in bringing light to our community.”
The BalikBahay box contained items suggested by a dietician to promote health and boost immunity, such as fresh lemons and ginger, dried noodles, mung beans, dried fruits, canned sardines and tuna, vinegar, no-sugar oolong tea, guyabano juice, stress balls and mental brochures, masks, gloves, alcohol spray bottles, a FASGI-drafted brochure on improving immune health, and COVID-19 paper pamphlet developed by Dr. Melanie Sabado-Liwag and her students. (Sabado-Liwag is also collaborating with UCLA on a community-based survey study to understand the Filipino community impacts of COVID-19. Participate in the study here.)
“Thank you so much FYLPRO for supporting this work. It really means a lot, not only to me but to all the Los Angeles Filipino members here. Hopefully the work that’s being done here can help inspire other communities to do similar kinds of acts of kindness for their own community,” said Program Manager Dr. Antonio Moya (FYLPRO alum 2019).
Incorporated in 1981, FASGI’s mission is to promote the cultural, social and economic advancement of the Los Angeles Filipino-American community through: mental health outreach and education, naturalization application assistance, immigration referral, culinary arts, arts incubation, business promotion, a World War II memorabilia museum, and other community and social services. For over three decades, FASGI has helped thousands of individuals through these vital programs and continues to work to strengthen the integration and empowerment of the Filipino-American people.
“FYLPRO is proud to partner with FASGI on this relief effort. It’s our hope that these care packages will let our kababayans in Los Angeles know that although our Fil-Am communities are spread throughout the US, we are thinking of them as they battle the pandemic — we appreciate their sacrifices and are here to help however we can.” said FYLPRO President Joshua Ang Price. “COVID-19 has created challenges for us all, but we must remember that we are in this situation together, and we will get through it together.”
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About FYLPRO COVID19 Taskforce
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted all aspects of life around the world. In response to this ongoing crisis, FYLPRO formed the COVID-19 task force in April to tackle the needs of Filipinos both domestically and internationally. As part of the formation of this task force, a COVID-19 relief fund was created to support these efforts.
FYLPRO is continuing to fundraise for the COVID-19 Relief Fund. You can donate here: https://fylpro.org/support/
The FYLPRO COVID-19 Task Force is looking to identify COVID-19 relief efforts in the US and the Philippines that FYLPRO may be able to partner with or support through its regional relief program. If you are aware of potential partner organizations or potential recipients for FYLPRO’s COVID-19 regional relief program, please complete the information request form.
Questions? Contact: [email protected]
About Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO)
The Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization of high-performing, next-generation leaders that have a passion for advancing the Philippines and the Filipino people.
FYLPRO was established in 2012 by the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC in cooperation with the Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI) to annually identify outstanding young professionals in the Filipino communities across the United States and provide the delegates with invaluable community, business, and government insights and access to distinguished network captains of industry and government.
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