The Philippines is at a standstill. While trying to count the cost of this pandemic, the impoverished are going hungry. In its nascent stage, a cough is not just a cough. But several months into this global crisis, an empty stomach is not just hunger: it has now become fear for the future.

With little to no income coming in, how will they feed their families now that the COVID-19 pandemic has backed the food system to the corner? This situation is what SPECS Foundation Inc. is consistently trying to crush. With the help of donations and gifts from friends and partners here and abroad, SPECS Foundation – Puso Vendor aims to provide farm to table produce at a lower price for poor communities. Several vendors are supplied with vegetable produce for them to sell at fair prices. They will then return the worth of the vegetables to the Puso Vendor program and get to keep the profits. With this, vendors now have an income without scrounging for capital to start up a small business. Income generated, food on the table, smiles on their faces, fears allayed, and the future filled with hope.

We have always wanted a different ending. It can only happen when you make a new beginning. And this is what SPECS Foundation – Puso Vendor is hoping for.