Everyone can agree that 2020 has been an awful year — from the volcanic eruption at the start of the year, through the pandemic which ravaged people’s health and wealth, to the typhoons and floods that have wrought so much damage in the last couple of months. The one good thing to come out of all this has been people’s willingness to help others. From offers of shelter to the refugees from Taal Volcano, to fund drives for PPEs and free meals for the pandemic struck, to free kitchens and donation drives for the flood ravaged, this year has brought out some of the best from people. And as the year wraps up, there are still more ways to help make at least this season truly one of hope.
Hugo Boss and JP Anglo collaboration
Proving to be more than just a fashion brand, BOSS initiated a global campaign aimed to support local communities and businesses that were greatly affected by the pandemic. In countries like France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the US, the fashion house connected with various movers and makers to share with the world how their passions and professions keep them positive throughout the trying times. In Asia, the campaign is highly driven on supporting food and beverage businesses through collaborating with chefs and restaurants and creating an exclusive menu. A portion of their sales is donated to a chosen foundation or charity. This initiative has successfully taken off in Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand.
In the Philippines, it comes in the form of a gastronomical partnership between BOSS and Chef JP Anglo, running from Dec. 1 to 31, with 10% of the sales from the exclusive menu donated to the YesPinoy Foundation which provides food to marginalized families and frontliners, as well as education-to-employment support for youth beneficiaries. As an added incentive, customers can shop BOSS at 15% off through Trunc.ph within the promo period.
The exclusive BOSS menu includes five dishes: Grilled Esguerra kurobuta pork barbecue, Tofu inasal (barbecue) basted with annatto oil, served with coriander spiced coconut vinegar, soba noodles tossed in talangka (crab) butter topped with grilled lemongrass prawns, Organic chicken inasal, Beef cheeks braised in batchoy (a noodle soup) stock, served with batchoy gravy, and 32% white chocolate with kasuy (cashew nuts) in collaboration with Auro. For orders and inquiries about the exclusive BOSS menu, customers can contact 0917-528-0115.
World Vision’s Noche Buena initiative
World Vision — a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, their families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice — continues its annual Christmas tradition with the Noche Buena campaign.
By giving a one-time donation of at least P1,000, sponsors and donors can help provide two families with a Noche Buena gift that contains ingredients for Filipinos’ holiday favorites, spaghetti and fruit salad.
“The Year 2020 is a very different year for each one of us, but the spirit of Christmas never wanes. World Vision continues to bring joy, peace and hope to every Filipino especially in these trying times. We invite everyone to join our Noche Buena campaign and make this a Christmas like no other for Filipino children,” says Mr. Rommel Fuerte, World Vision National Director, of the campaign which was launched in 2005..
World Vision’s Noche Buena campaign is accepting donations until Jan. 8, 2021. To know more and donate to the Noche Buena campaign, visit http://wvph.co/NB, and follow /worldvisionph on Facebook and @worldvisionphl on Instagram for updates.
App donations for a Merry GCash Christmas
Mobile wallet GCash is encouraging Filipinos to give back during the holiday season by donating through the GCash app and giving beneficiaries a Merry GCash Christmas.
Coming from a total of over P23 million gathered from its #UlyssesPHAid and #TulongCagayan donation drives, GCash is looking forward once again to the Filipino “bayanihan” spirit to spread the yuletide cheer to communities that need aid and support.
As part of GCash’s Merry GCash campaign, customers can make a donation using the app by simply going to Pay Bills, looking for #GCashGivesBack, and entering the amount they want to donate. Customers will be provided with an SMS receipt as a proof of transaction.
GCash is working with 12 NGO partners, namely, Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc., Animal Kingdom, Kaya Natin Movement, Kusina ng Kalinga, Mama Earth Foundation, Operation Blessing, Project Biyahero, Project Pearls, Pusod Inc., Smile Train, Tanging Yaman Foundation, and Virlanie Foundation, in helping affected communities. All proceeds collected throughout December and until January 2021 will go directly to the aforementioned beneficiaries.
Aside from giving back this Christmas through donations, godparents can also give Christmas gifts to their godchildren by sending money through the app through Send Pamasko — no need for physical red envelopes, while staying safe against the pandemic. GCash has also launched the Merry GCash campaign this holiday season, with over P30 million in prizes and surprises in store for customers. Customers may visit facebook.com/gcashofficial for more information.
McDonald’s Buy 1 Share 1 Program
At the end of November, McDonald’s launched its Happy Meal Buy 1 Share 1 Program for the holiday season — every Happy Meal purchase makes not just one, but two children happier as McDonald’s matches each purchase by gifting a toy or a book to children from its partner beneficiaries. The program is ongoing until Dec. 31, so there is still time to buy some more Happy Meals and help.
McDonald’s has already distributed books and toys with the help of partner organizations such as the Philippine Red Cross, Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Manila Water Foundation and Makati Med Foundation. Beneficiaries of the Happy Meal Buy 1 Share 1 program include children from areas affected by typhoons Rolly and Ulysses such as those in Rizal, Marikina, Albay, Batangas, Quezon, Catanduanes, Camariñes Sur, Pampanga, and Sorsogon, as well a number of local government units and non-government organizations and all Bahay Bulilit communities.