Global Foodbanking Network

I had a very positive and successful visit to the Bogotá Food Bank.  It was very good to see the progress that they have achieved: racking, signage, 79 employees, a full warehouse and five large trucks, (including a new one that the GFN helped secure with help from P&G).  They have also made significant enhancements to their recordkeeping systems and have been doing a very good job at strategic planning.

During one of our previous visits, I introduced Padre Daniel Saldarriaga to Kellogg Company.  Today the Kellogg CEO is on their Board and Kellogg is their “largest” donor.  They are very grateful to us.

During my visit they had a wonderful community event at the Food Bank.  They received the new (large) truck paid for by the grant from P&G.  The event was covered by the media, we were honored (we received two framed letters of appreciation) and Cardinal Saenz was there to bless the trucks.  He also said many nice words about us and the importance of their GFN Partnership.  Padre Daniel will write a letter that we can forward to P&G and another version of a video that tells their story.  It talks about the GFN and is extremely well done.   This video describes the growth of their food bank today to 79 employees and 687 agencies.

Padre Daniel and the Cardinal have agreed to help us and our new friends in Peru to build the food bank system in Peru.  They will also be able to introduce several Peru business leaders to the work of food banks.  Additionally, Padre Daniel is working with a group of Ecuadorian business leaders who wish to have a food bank operational within a year.  We have been invited to help with this effort.

Regarding the Colombia National System, they have had five meetings since our last visit and are making good progress.

The largest food company in Colombia is Quela SA.  This is the Colombia equivalent to Tiger Brands, SA.  They operate in seven countries and likely should be GFN partners.  They have a product line similar to Unilever.  We will seek a meeting on our next trip and then try to get their CEO to help our friends in Argentina, Guatemala and Mexico.