Odyssey Foundation extends help to over 2k beneficiaries

ODYSSEY Foundation Inc. (OFI), the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of CDO-Foodsphere, extended assistance to more than 2,000 beneficiaries under its Nutrition, Education, Environment, Livelihood and Service to Humanity (Neels) program for fiscal year 2016-2017.

OFI Executive Director Alejandro A. Danao Jr. said the Neels program represents the five pillars that the foundation is operating on, in its bid to contribute to nation building.

In its 2016 accomplishment report, OFI said 1,197 mostly undernourished children benefitted from its nutrition program called Gabay Nutrisyon. Gabay Nutrisyon aims to provide the physical nourishment the children need to grow and become healthy and productive individuals.

In the fiscal year 20162017, OFI administered supplemental feeding projects in several barangays in Valenzuela City; Malvar, Batangas; and Dona Remedios Trinidad in Bulacan, yielding a total of 881 beneficiaries.

"An average of 75-percent increase in weight of the beneficiaries was noted based on National Nutrition Council standard," OFI said in a report.

The foundation also teamed up with other nongovernment organizations such as ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc., Trinity Home for Children and religious groups to conduct nutrition programs among 554 children in different parts of the country.

This brought the total number of children beneficiaries reached by Gabay Nutrisyon Program to 19,500 as of March 30, 2017, or since OFI launched the program more than a decade ago.

In its education program, OFI reached out to 300 beneficiaries, who are mostly indigent elementary school students and children with special needs. The foundation distributed school supplies to four public elementary schools in Valenzuela City and hygienic kits to children with special needs.

OFI said its environment program had 100 beneficiaries last year. The program involved tree planting and waste management activities as well as Adopt-An-Estero project.

Another 501 beneficiaries benefited from Gabay Hanapbuhay, the livelihood program of OFI last year. The foundation conducted livelihood training to equip beneficiaries with the necessary skills in several barangays in Quezon City and Valenzuela City. OFI is now using post-evaluation tools to assess the effectiveness of the project.

On the Service to Humanity leg of the program, OFI reported 232 beneficiaries, including 50 families in Tacloban City, Leyte who transferred to their new homes in June 2016, after their former houses were flattened by typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

The foundation is led by CDO-Foodsphere founders Corazon D. Ong and Jose J. Ong as chairwoman and vice chairman, respectively. PR