Ana Patricia Non, the woman behind the first community pantry in Quezon City that, later on, sparked a nationwide movement of the same initiative amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, was recognized by the US Embassy as the recipient of the Ambassador’s Woman of Courage Award.
"Empowered and courageous women can change the world for the better," U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava said.
"I presented the Ambassador’s Woman of Courage Award to Ana Patricia Non for her community pantry initiative that inspired Filipinos to combine resources and help one another during the COVID-19 pandemic," she added.
Empowered and courageous women can change the world for the better. I presented the Ambassador’s Woman of Courage Award to Ana Patricia Non for her community pantry initiative that inspired Filipinos to combine resources and help one another during the COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/YYaQLVGwIZ
— Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Heather Variava (@USAmbPH) May 18, 2022
In an interview, Non shared the recognition with fellow community pantry organizers across the country.
“Masaya ako sa mga recognition. Nahihiya lang ako kasi baka mamaya, hindi na siya tungkol sa (community) pantry. Sana tungkol sa ating lahat. Itong award naman na ito’y para sa lahat ng pantry organizers. Hindi lang sa akin," she said.
In 2020, Non and other community pantry organizers have been red-tagged by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which prompted her to temporarily suspend their operations in fear for their lives.
