“Meet Patricia Non, Champion of Community Pantries!” – William Dar, Secretary Of Agriculture. “Give What You Can, Take What You Need” – Patricia Non

She was doing what she could, out of the goodness of her heart, something socially original & heart-warming – opening a community pantry for the poor who needed food to get some free, amidst Covid19 restrictions.

Joseph Pedrajas tells us she is Ana Patricia Non, 26 years old, a virtual unknown until she actualized this unprecedented act of kindness (“Who Is Patricia Non, The Woman Who Sparked Kindness Through The Maginhawa Community Pantry?” 06 May 2021, Manila Bulletin, MB.com.ph).

She did it out of love for the poor. She did it along Maginhawa Street in Teacher’s Village in the Philippines’ capital Quezon City.

Mr Pedrajas says:

There was no mob action that greeted that first opportunity to get free food. The people waited in line for hours and followed the rule which Patricia had written on a cardboard sheet – ”Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan.”  (Give what you can, take what you need).
(lower image from her)

She must have been thinking of Saint Mother Teresa who said, “Give, but give until it hurts.” Isn’t Patricia a saint herself!

Mr Pedrajas says:

Little did Patricia Non know that her small act of kindness would create a ripple effect. In a few days, other community pantries sprouted around Metro Manila; in a week, more opened in the provinces. Today, the community pantries have become too many to count.

Kindness multiplies itself, and sprouts like mushrooms – everywhere!

From UP Diliman College of Fine Arts, she is a graduate in Visual Communication. What she did was in the field of Visual Kindness!

Before this, she was an entrepreneur with a small furniture shop – which closed with the pandemic. That is all we know about Patricia. When asked personal questions, she had only one reply: “It’s not about me. It’s about the community pantry.”

It’s not about Ana Patricia Non; it’s about what you can do for those in need in whatever little way you can.

During her interviews with the media, Patricia’s generosity extended from sharing food to the poor to sharing information on how to start a pantry.

“Women too often say to themselves, 'It's too difficult. I'm not going to get there.' I tell them: 'Listen: do not question your abilities. Dare to do what you want to do and realize that you can do it.” Isabelle Kocher

Mr Pedrajas says:

Her youth and anonymity before the Maginhawa community pantry had baffled authorities and government leaders. A spokesperson from a government agency had implied that Patricia had links with the communists.

Among others, Rev Fr Richie Ramos Fortus shared on Facebook that he had witnessed Patricia’s dedication to helping others while he was still a seminarian in Bay, Laguna. Fr Richie said she, who resided in Quezon City, would come to Bay before the Holy Week to serve in the Summer Children’s Camp.

Himself, Secretary of Agriculture William Dar gives honor to Patricia Non for this mission of helping the less fortunate. Shouldn’t we all?!@517