Late post: Spending Christmas at Luwalhati ng Maynila

As part of my university’s immersion program during junior year, I spent several weekends in the Luwalhati ng Maynila home for the aged. It’s a government-run facility that, to put it gently, needs all the help it can get.

In 2011, I wrote a blog entry asking for donations to provide them with a thousand adult diapers and other supplies. My friends Karsie Lorenzana and Lexa Lim came on board, and it became something bigger than the three of us. With the help of many, many donors, we were able to raise P70,000 in cash and supplies, and had two parties for the grandparents during Christmas season. [Photos from our first year: December 20, December 28]

In 2012, it continued to grow. We came back last December 26—though we had a smaller budget since work kept us from going all-out with fundraising, I’d like to think success is not counted in cash but in human connection.

Here are some photos by my friend Joseph Angan:

An amputated leg didn’t stop this lolo from being one of the last standing during the musical chairs game.

December 28: Salu-salo at Luwalhati ng Maynila [photos]

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When Christmas for the Grandparents first started, I was just a girl with a blog and regrets about the past. A thousand diapers was already a stretch for my imagination–what if we didn’t make it? But when the donations poured in, I was floored. And after delivering the goods and seeing the lolos and lolas have a good time, it feels as though words aren’t enough.

I’ve been so blessed to work with such a great team. Job De Leon and Kevin Davis, thank you for lending your time even when you’re so busy with other things. And to my co-heads Alexa Lim and Karsie Lorenzana–you guys are wonderful and I truly believe that us meeting in Cubao X so many months ago was destiny.

To the many people who donated, volunteered, performed (Ateneo Psychoir, blueREP, Sir Cholo Mallillin, Sir Rene San Andres, Delphine Buencamino) and helped spread the word: I can’t name you all, but thank you from the bottom of my fatty-from-Xmas-food heart! ♥

Happy holidays, world! >:D<

December 20: Salu-salo at Luwalhati ng Maynila [Photos]

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Thank you to all the volunteers who helped out, as well as to the Ateneo Psyche Choir, Delphine Buencamino and Sir Cholo Mallillin for sharing their talents with the lolos and lolas! I’d also like to extend a massive thank you to the couple who generously donated hamburgers for the salu-salo. :D

Christmas for the Grandparents’ next visit to Luwalhati ng Maynila is on December 28, 9 AM-1 PM! If you want to come along, please sign up HERE by December 27, 4PM so we can e-mail you the manual, schedule and details of the visit. It will be our last visit for 2011 so please, please come! Let’s keep the joy alive even past the “official” Christmas holiday. :)

Photos from Delphine Buencamino

One thousand diapers

Christmas for the Grandparents update: We’ve already purchased 1000 diapers for the lolos and lolas of Luwalhati ng Maynila!  We’ve also bought 6 gallons of bleach, 20 kg of laundry soap for the staff and 48 pieces of canned goods. Even more exciting is the fact that we didn’t need to shop for shampoo at all thanks to the contributions of in-kind donors. :)

Our December 20 salu-salo at Luwalhati went well, too! The elders were clearly having a lot of fun and joined in the games where we gave away snacks as prizes. We all had fun singing, dancing (the grandparents really got their groove on) and chatting with the lolos and lolas. :) The Christmas for the Grandparents team would like to thank all the food donors, volunteers and musical performers for helping spread the Christmas cheer–it wouldn’t have been the same without you all! :)

As for me, I got to meet some of the lolas I had cared for a year ago. I’ll post the pictures (and write about it) as soon as I can! I’m waiting for the rest to come in, but here’s a little teaser:

Photo from Sir Cholo Mallillin

This is me with Lolo Rolly Lapus (though he also goes by the name Totoy Bibo)–he’s one of the loudest, goofiest, game-est lolos there. Him and his buddies kept making jokes; later, some elders sang the Luwalhati “theme song.” At the time, we laughed with the elders as they pointed to us young ones, singing ”Tatanda din kayo/Tatanda tayong lahat” (You’ll grow old, too/We’ll all grow old). But after the song ended, I think we all felt that this was not a joke to be taken lightly.

Just like the elders at Luwalhati, we will grow old. And whatever hope or hopelessness they may feel, we’re capable of feeling that way too. Regardless of age, background or any of the things we think define us, we’ll never be too different. We are all humans, after all–fragile, feeling humans that need care and affection.

Thank you to everyone who supports Christmas for the Grandparents. Let’s keep working to give our elders the Christmas they deserve!

Spread the Christmas cheer with CTFG!

As of today, Christmas for the Grandparents’ official donation count is over P60,000 pesos! That’s four times the amount we originally envisioned for this fundraiser! As Kevin put it, the response has been nothing short of overwhelming. Thank you to everyone who donated–to the teachers who let us promote in their classes, to bank deposit donors who come from as far as Baguio, to the students who pitched in what they could, to the in-kind donors, to the SOM majors who gave me crash course lessons in OpMan and helped me work Excel files, to everyone who lent a helping hand. You guys are wonderful!

It’s not over yet, though! This December 20 and 28, we’ll we heading over to Luwalhati ng Maynila to spend time with the lolos and lolas and deliver the goods purchased with your donations. There will be special musical performances for the lolos and lolas and we’ll all dance, eat and have a good time. :)

If you want to help out and spend time with the grandparents, please click here or the picture below to sign up for our December 20 visit. There are limited slots available, so please sign up as soon as possible but also only if you’re sure so as not to inconvenience other volunteers! We will e-mail you whether you made the cut-off or not. If you didn’t reach the cut-off, don’t worry! We’re going again on December 28! :)

Merry Christmas, everyone! :)

12/13 Donation update!

 

Thank you to our in-kind donors!

Thank you as well to those who’ve deposited in our bank account! Don’t forget to send us a scanned/photographed copy of your deposit slip. We’re accepting donations until December 16. :)

Merry Christmas everyone! ♥