Valparaíso Recovers Nearly 2 Tons of Food for Community Dining Halls and Local Families

Original article: Valparaíso: Casi 2 toneladas de alimentos recuperados fueron destinados a comedores solidarios y familias porteñas

A comprehensive inspection operation conducted around the Cardonal Market in Valparaíso resulted in the recovery of over 1,910 kilograms of food products, which were redistributed to community dining halls and families benefiting from municipal programs in the area.

The procedure was led by the Citizen Security Department, the Inspection Department, and the Operations Department of the Municipality of Valparaíso, in coordination with the Carabineros. In total, more than 40 officials participated in the territorial deployment.

Municipal authorities reported that during the operation, 16 citations were issued for engaging in informal commerce on Public Use Goods, reinforcing the municipal efforts to organize public spaces and reclaim iconic areas of the city.

This initiative not only advanced inspections and organization in the area but also had a concrete social impact on organizations that carry out significant community work daily.

Marcia Oyarce, the Director of Community Development (Dideco) for the municipality, explained that this collaborative effort is part of the Fosis EcoMarket program, which aims to recover and repurpose food items that are often discarded or not utilized by various companies.

“This partnership with community centers and local organizations ensures that these food supplies directly benefit the residents of Valparaíso, especially those in greatest need. Furthermore, it supports the direct beneficiaries of the program, mainly women heads of household in the community, thereby strengthening social and food assistance in our city,” Oyarce detailed.

Esther Zamora, a volunteer at the Comedor 421, highlighted the contributions received: “The Ecomercado, thanks to the Municipality of Valparaíso, delivers donations to us. We serve over 250 meals daily, every day of the year. This time we received a lot of corn, which we used to prepare porotos granados and tomaticán, so we are very grateful.”

Similarly, Cristian Amarales, infrastructure coordinator and co-founder of the Santa Ana Community Space, emphasized the direct impact of this support.

“The community dining hall at the Santa Ana Space operates Monday through Friday, primarily on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Last year, we recorded nearly 3,980 individuals formally having lunch, not including others who also participate,” the community leader stated.

“Clearly, this contribution from the Ecomercado and the Municipality of Valparaíso, especially Camila Nieto and the entire Council, comes at a crucial time, particularly for older adults. We have many seniors who come to lunch with us, in addition to local residents from the hill,” Amarales added.

Finally, municipal authorities indicated that these operations will continue to take place in various locations throughout the community, “combining inspections, the reclamation of public spaces, and the strengthening of the solidarity network in the hills of Valparaíso.”

The Citizen