IT IS VERY difficult to expect commercial sources of food supplies to lower their prices, because they must cover their costs and make money as well. That is how it is in a money-making business, and there is no way about it.
But if that is so? Is there still a way to buy foods that are not only cheaper, but are also safer?
My answer to that is yes, if you buy from cooperatives that could produce it on their own or are sourcing it from other coops.
On the production side, foods sourced from coops are cheaper because they are using their own labor, and they have certain duty-free privileges.
On the marketing side, they could offer discounts and rebates to members. Aside from the discounts and rebates, coop members also receive cash dividends at the end of the year, and that also actually translates into savings on food expenses. In some cases, members could avail themselves of free food supplies whenever there are food surpluses on the production side.
Food safety is a difficult challenge even for the big companies, but since the coops are owned by the members, they could all work together to ensure the safety of their food products. If you want to buy foods that are cheaper and safer, make sure to join a local coop because there is surely one that is near where you live.
LET’S SUPPORT THE HOSPITAL ON WHEELS
There is an expression that if the mountain will not come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain. The expression is used when some people believe that they can approach something which cannot approach them.
Perhaps that is the belief that inspired Dr. Jim Sanchez to organize the Hospital on Wheels (HOW) project, so that he could bring the hospital to patients in distant locations, meaning those patients who could not come to the hospital, because of one reason or another.
Since it was launched in 2007, HOW has already dispatched 404 medical missions that are often coupled with surgical, dental and optical services as well. But unlike the usual stationary hospitals, all services of HOW are 100% FREE.
To my surprise, Dr. Sanchez told me that their services are 100% PRIVATELY funded, with not a single centavo coming from government sources.
Unlike other medical missions that provide medical services that do not completely heal the patients, the surgical patients of HOW are completely healed, without any need for follow up treatments.
To add to that, the results of the surgeries conducted by HOW are mostly life changing, sometimes as if the patients are given a new leash in life. If you want to volunteer or donate to HOW, please contact me at 09088877282 or email me at iseneres@yahoo.com./PN
