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PSF brings joy, health to street kids

02/01/2009

In its quest to build hope and inspiration by nurturing today’s youth, the pioneer convenience store in the country 7-Eleven, through its socio-civic arm Philippine Seven Foundation, rekindles the spirit of volunteerism with its recently conducted child-focused advocacy works for the young indigents in Imus, Cavite City.

Just before the year ended, the Philippine Seven Foundation, along with various community-support groups successfully organized a festive blowout party for the Imus child-beneficiaries. Held at Dasmariñas, Cavite the event gathered around 40 street kids who were accompanied by their volunteer-guardians. The treat included exciting parlor games and loads of surprise gift items like goodie bags, clothes, and toys courtesy of PSC employees’ two-week gift-giving drop box drive held at the main office. As gesture of gratitude, three young girls from the group performed a lively dance number for their supporters.

Prior to the children’s get-together event, the foundation had also recently embarked on a medical mission held at the Parish of Our Lady of Pilar, also in Imus. Facilitated through joint efforts of the diocese’s social action group and medical volunteers of the University of the Philippines Medical Students’ Society, more than 200 individuals which included the immediate families of the street children under the program — were given free general check-ups and consultations. Respondents who were diagnosed with early signs of hypertension and goiter were encouraged by the medical team to undergo further laboratory tests and were also given free multivitamin supplements.

The child-beneficiaries were also given a lecture on proper hygiene with a puppet story entitled Bronson Butete, followed by an impromptu lecture on hypertension, its early warning signs, prevention, and first-aid administration for possible risk patients.

Lending support to the medical mission were 7-Eleven volunteer staff led by Violeta B. Apolinario, Division Manager for Human Resources Liwayway Fernandez, Division Manager for Operations, and Vice President for Human Resources and Finance Frank Tsai who, together with his wife, helped distribute vitamins, medicines, goodie bags, and personal hygiene kits to the beneficiaries. Since its inception, the Philippine Seven Foundation has been active in various socio-civic programs for the past year. To date, it is keen on continuing its plans to help empower the children in Imus’ crucial areas via supplemental feeding programs, Sunday schooling, and other fun, interactive learning activities. For more information, call its franchise hotline at 726-9968, (0920) 950-8651 or visit www.7-eleven.com.ph.