Within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, Foundation Conservation Carpathia came to the support of the elderly in need from within the communities of our project area: Argeș county – Rucăr, Lerești, Dâmbovicioara, Valea Mare Pravăț, Stoienești, Cetățeni, Nucșoara, Arefu; and Dâmbovița county – Runcu, Moroieni. For 8 weeks, the foundation donated over 4,600 packages of essential food and hygiene products in the Southeastern Făgăraș Mountains. This is the last week of the Food for the Elders programme.

On April 2nd, we initiated and implemented one of the most important social campaigns in our project area. The initial plan was to help for four weeks, but we received such great support from our donors, that we were able to cover the needs of the elderly as long as the national emergency situation lasted, for the whole 8 weeks: over 4600 packages in total were distributed at a rate of 600 packages per week. We received help from local community volunteers, from the FCC rangers and the logistical support of the local authorities.

The packages distributed contained basic food items such as rice, sugar, corn, eggs, oil, fresh seasonal or canned fruits and vegetables, cheeses, honey and hygiene products, considered essential during this period. During the Easter holidays, the grandparents received everything necessary for a festive Romanian traditional meal (lamb, red eggs, cake). More than 75% of all the products were purchased from small local producers, with attention to the needs of the elderly, whilst being mindful of the carbon footprint and following, as much as possible during these circumstances, a strict environmental policy.

56 donors and over €100,000 raised in a month

This campaign would not have been possible without the help of the 56 different donors who supported the extension of the period from four to eight weeks and also the increase in the initial number of beneficiaries. Thus, a total of €108,346 (524,394 RON) was raised, which allowed us to extend the campaign until this week, inclusively. We would like to thank all those who supported the aid programme and brought a smile to the faces of the elderly in need.

But this campaign was not only a breath of fresh air for the beneficiaries of the packages, but also a real help to the small local producers [*] from whom most of the products in the packages were purchased. As a result, over 404,000 RON (€86,000) of the total value of purchases remained in the local community. We managed to shop from local producers, small local producers, thus ensuring that the money was invested in the local economy, which supports jobs and creates sources of income for small farmers in this difficult time. Their involvement in this action is the Foundation’s first step towards developing a system that will help and positively capitalize on traditional local agriculture in the medium and long term.

A healthy environment = a healthy community

We are one of the most important Romanian nature conservation foundations. For over 10 years we have been working to build an environment where nature is safe and sustainably supports local communities in the neighbourhood.

Unfortunately, the way we have lived and managed the nature around us can no longer be sustained in the same way as in the last 50 years. The quality of the environment is degraded, and the life and quality of our lives, as inhabitants and direct beneficiaries of nature, has degraded at the same rate. There is an urgent need for responsible action: we need to stop exploiting nature as a natural and infinite gift and to have more respect for the riches with which this country and the planet has been blessed. Tomorrow is decided today! For more details on the actions of the Foundation Conservation Carpathia, visit www.carpathia.org.

Cheese: Nicolae Ioana (Rucăr), Bârloiu Flavius (Dâmbovicioara), Iarca Miron (Lerești), Adi Ochi (Dâmbovicioara), Cioaca Nicolae (Dâmbovicioara), Radu Idoras (Rucăr), Bangala (https://www.facebook.com/produsetraditionale.bangala), Pravăț Nicolae (Rucăr), Țențu Adrian (Dâmbovicioara), Avram Ramona (Dâmbovicioara), Poponeț Ion (Șirnea), Moiceanu Nicoleta (Moroieni), Ștefan Cornelia (Moroieni)

Cake & pastry: Radu Bențea (Rucăr), Căsuța cu Dulciuri (Rucăr)

Lamb: Cristi Simion (Rucăr), Abator Coșcovele (Rucăr)

Eggs: local producers from Șinca, Rucăr, Dâmbovicioara, Cetățeni, Stoenești

Canned fruits and vegetables: Poiana Fermecată (https://poianafermecata.ro ), Grădinile Doamnei (https://gradiniledoamnei.ro ), Casa Tanti Maria (Stoenești), Domnica Frăguța-Bunătăți din patru munți (Rucăr), Mihai Olteanu (http://produsetraditionalerucarene.ro/).

Honey: Lăzărică Alexandru (Poienari de Muscel), Iosifescu Cătălin (Stoenești), Manea Nicolae (Lerești), Aurelian Banu (Mioarele-Stupină din Muscel)

Bread: Soare (Rucăr), La Fulgerul (Câmpul Lung), ProdPan (Câmpulung), RoPan SRL (Runcu-Moroieni)

Homemade pasta: Laura Banu (Câmpulung)

Face mask: Dana Banu (Câmpulung)

Paper bags: Policrom SRL

Hygiene products: RTC Proffice

Car: Autonom

Retailer: Metro Romania

Foto credit: Georgiana Cațan