Believing in the adage, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” a lady restaurateur and Covid-19 survivor has made it her advocacy to provide free meals to health workers assigned in the Covid wards of local hospitals for about five months now.
Thirty-eight-year-old Kristine Suarez said the idea of helping out Covid ward workers came when she was confined on the first week of May this year with a severe case of Covid-19 complicated by asthma at the Covid ward of a local hospital and stayed for about a month before she was discharged with a clean bill of health.
It was during this time that she noticed the sad plight of health care workers in the Covid wards who looked downtrodden, depressed, with low morale and tired. As a registered medical technologist, Suarez said she knows how difficult it is to be a health worker.
As owner of the Naruto Japanese Restaurant along Marcos Highway and being a member of the Up North Business Club, she had ample food delivered to her at the ward that she shared with the health workers even if it is not allowed.
“When they gratefully accepted the food I offered them and ate heartily, that is where I realized how hungry they really were,” the Baguio born and bred Suarez said.
Then and there, even while still confined, she decided to solicit free meals from her fellow restaurant owners and other contacts for the Covid ward health workers.
Her efforts proved successful as the free meals poured in for the Covid ward workers who work in three shifts. She said during her stay at the ward, they became more upbeat, looked happier, and had more energy in doing their duties.
With that, her Covid Ward Food Donation Drive (CWFDD) was born and which until now is delivering free meals to health workers of several local hospitals.
She said donors are mostly her friends and contacts here and abroad who give either in cash or in kind, and she makes sure these are all properly receipted and photos taken as proof that the donations were given to the intended recipients.
Her social media platform also continues to draw more donations from generous souls who answered her plea to help provide free meals for Covid ward health workers.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong commended Suarez for her selfless and noble action in helping health workers and hoped that she will be an example for others to do the same.
Those interested to donate to the CWFDD or want to know more about the program may call Suarez at 0917-885-3177 or check her Facebook page at Kristine Suarez. – Gaby B. Keith
