Patricia non

The brainchild behind the Maginhawa Community Pantry, Ana Patricia Non inspired people all over the Philippines--and even parts of the world--to lend a helping hand to those in need.

It began as a humble bamboo cart packed with fresh produce and other food items where the poor who needed food could get some for free. Its concept was simple, “Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan [Give what you can, take what you need].”

This simple yet powerful act of generosity fifteen long months into the pandemic resonated with so many people and sparked a community pantry phenomenon. People from all walks of life pitched in donations and created food banks in their respective communities. Though she was red-tagged, which caused the Maginhawa Community Pantry to close for a day, Non reopened it and continued coordinating donations as early as five in the morning, physically carrying items to set them up on the cart, responding to questions from the media, providing insights on how to open a community pantry, and planning for the next day.

The 26-year-old was among the individuals in the list of "Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things During Extraordinary Times" at the recentlyconcluded 19th Manuel L. Quezon Gawad Parangal.

In an interview with Mega earlier this year, Non reiterated that she does not "owe anyone an explanation and I will continue what I'm doing. I will not let them affect me."