Good people help good people!

The situation with the coronavirus became reminiscent of the plot from a science fiction film: flights were canceled, borders were closed with lightning speed, and hotels ceased to accept guests. The whole world economy was suffering, but first of all, tourism, for which COVID-19 became a destructive wave, sweeping all the established business models of the industry in its path.

Coronavirus is changing the current world order in many areas of life. The most vulnerable sector of the economy, tourism, is most affected by the pandemic. Airlines stop flights, countries close their borders and almost all demanded tourist destinations are self-insulated.

Baja California is a continuation of the American state of the same name, but it belongs to Mexico. Its southern part Baja California Sur is a real find for athletes and fans of spending vacations away from civilization. The climate of the region seems to be created for lovers of surfing and golf; you can reach the island of Espíritu Santo by boat, observe the life of whales in natural conditions, and swim with seals.

The completely wild beaches are incredibly suitable for water sports, while the island of Cabo Pulmo is great for diving in coral reefs.

Needless to say that this area is highly dependent on tourism, and its collapse in the region due to the coronavirus pandemic is bringing serious and extensive problems.

That is why The Los Barriles Food Bank was created as a result of a discussion between two worried Los Barriles citizens, who were well aware of the upcoming situation.

This great initiative quickly united people to form the Los Barriles Food Bank that included Ian Gibson from Lord of the Wind, Joe from Joe’s Deli, Jeane from Bahia Real Estate, and many others.

In cooperation with the Delegado and Los Barriles Delegacion, the creation of Los Barriles Food Bank started to gain its shape.

The idea of the Los Barriles Food Bank was so simple, yet so important: the people of Los Barriles needed enough food at their disposal to feed their families. In times, when pandemic has stolen working places and salaries from a great number of citizens, the Los Barilles Food Bank will be their support and hope for the better times.

Their motto is inspiring: “Good people help good people!”
La Pitahaya and Bahiya Real estate became their first drop-off centers and Joe’s Deli started to receive donations as well.
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So, the team began to collect food and buy large amounts of milk as the money from donations started to roll in. In time, they went ahead, searching for bigger storages, and providing food audits. Members of the team also negotiated excellent prices with suppliers, as prices across the region started to rise. The group of packing assistants did a great job using environmentally friendly paper bag packing. Volunteers with trucks helped to distribute the parcels with food to the local households in need.​

Today, their team has grown significantly thanks to volunteers doing important everyday work. They’ve been feeding up to 700 households across the region that includes Los Barriles, El Cardonal, Boca de Alamo, San Bartolo, Piedras Gordas, Campamento, El Coro, and Buena Vista.

This community showed an amazing result of organizing to help the needy during the time of a global emergency. This example is a model for other communities all over the world to follow.
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To know more about this initiative or to donate, share, and support, please visit The Los Barilles Food Bank page.

“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.”
​               Albert Schweitzer