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Villavicencio (Agenzia Fides) - To celebrate the opening of the special Jubilee of Mercy, on December 8, 2015, the Archdiocese of Villavicencio will inaugurate the new and refurbished food bank called "Pope Francis", to help poor families. The news was given by the Archbishop of Villavicencio, His Exc. Mgr. Óscar Urbina who, in a statement of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) sent to Fides, explained that the funds received by the Populorum Progressio Foundation were used for the purchase of materials while the workforce was provided by the Archdiocesan Caritas.
"We are delighted to expand this bank, operating but on a smaller scale for 15 years, allowing the collection of food from department stores and supermarkets", says Mgr. Urbina. "Another interesting process that we are about to start is the distribution of crops, such as papaya which we will give to the needy", added the Archbishop. This center for collection and distribution of food currently helps about 1,340 families of this city located 100 kilometers from Bogota, in the eastern lowlands of the Country. This model of food bank might be used in the future also in the neighboring centers. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 19/10/2015)
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