httpv://youtu.be/QS9FTiPyNx8
The Comedor Infantil Pasionista was founded on November 17, 2009 by the Passionist volunteers of 2009-2010 ; Jean Bumgardener, Joanine Carey, Carolyn Payne, Carolyn Plunkett, and Jamie Martin. The Comedor Infantil Pasionista is located in the community of Nuevo San Diego, one of the poorest communities in Talanga. The idea for the Comedor originated from the previous volunteers seeing children scavenging through a dumpster for food. Learning that the children were from the same community, the volunteers set out to address the obvious malnutrition that they were witnessing. The mission of the Comedor was to collaborate with the community of Nuevo San Diego and with the help of local donors in Talanga to provide one properly balanced meal daily Monday through Friday to the children living in the community. Children were selected from families based on need.
A year after the official opening of the Comedor Infantil Pasionista, the lunch program continues to run five days a week serving food to children of the community. Starting with just 12 children, the Comedor has grown to include up to 39 children. Oversight for the Comedar has been given to a local board of directors that all share an interest in addressing the struggles of hunger and malnutrition that exists in Nuevo San Diego. Originally food and monetary support for the Comedar came from local donations by businesses and families including a Honduran NGO. This has grown to include the support of Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH), an international organization who has created a volunteer position to act as a liaison and provide support to the Comedor. Once PVI leaves in Honduras, the Comedor will continue to be run by the local board of directors and supported through donations by the local community. NPH will continue to provide a volunteer to provide staff support to the Comedor Infantil Pasionistas. The volunteer will assist the Board in expanding its policies and practices as well as overseeing general administration of the Comedar.
