Food Donation for Pisco Earthquake Victims

June 13, 2009

Two years ago, on August 15, 2007, a devastating earthquake struck the region of Pisco, Peru. Many homes and commercial buildings in Pisco were destroyed. Reconstruction has progressed slowly. One year ago our volunteers traveled to Pisco to donate food, clothing, blankets, and toys. We returned recently and found that conditions in some areas of Pisco have not improved much.

We arrived in Pisco on June 12 and visited several neighborhoods where extreme poverty continues to be prevalent. After losing their homes in 2007, many people have been unable to rebuild because of financial hardships. They live in tents or hastily constructed structures that generally lack basic water and sanitation services.

We began this year's donation by purchasing nonperishable food and hygienic supplies in a local market. Our donations consisted of rice, cooking oil, flour, sugar, canned tuna, toilet paper, lentils, and pasta. The next day, on June 13, the manager of a social center in one of Pisco's hardest-hit neighborhoods loaned us space in her building. Upon arrival we sorted the food into kits. We distributed these kits to over 200 families.