«To play, first you need to eat,» says a sign. And it seems so obvious that it hurts when you look closely and see that for many people, it isn’t. One December morning in Benavidez, American Airlines and the Banco de Alimentos Buenos Aires joined forces in an initiative to support Argentina’s most vulnerable communities facing food insecurity.
I had the fortune of being invited to share the work done by more than 50 airline volunteers from both Argentina and the United States. And, almost inevitably, a volunteer from an aviation media outlet joined in.
The volunteers prepared more than 500 food boxes, totaling over 2,500 kilograms, equivalent to 12,500 meals. These products will be distributed to local organizations before the holidays, in a significant and necessary logistical effort to ensure that Christmas tables have a touch of care and support for those in need.
The activity was organized by the Latin Diversity Network Employee Business Resource Group of American Airlines, highlighting its commitment to the communities it serves. «American has a nearly 35-year history in Argentina, and we are grateful to give back to this community that has been fundamental to our growth in South America,» said José A. Freig, Vice President of International Operations at American Airlines.
“Partnering with Banco de Alimentos is a meaningful way to address one of the most urgent challenges faced by vulnerable populations. We are proud to participate and help in an organic way, reaching out to the communities in the countries we fly to. We are sowing the importance of American Airlines in Argentina, not only for travelers but also to show how significant this country is to us,” he added.
Evie Garcés, VP of Line Maintenance at the company, was also present. We talked about humble beginnings, boundaries, and growth opportunities for those who work hard. She shared her story of going from the Dominican Republic to leading a key area at one of the largest companies in the world.
The Banco de Alimentos Buenos Aires is a nonprofit organization that, in 2023, distributed more than 3.8 million kilograms of food and essential products, impacting nearly 330,000 people and serving over 18 million meals. Fernando Uranga, its general manager, emphasized the fundamental role of volunteers in its daily mission.
“At Banco de Alimentos, we coordinate with more than 1,200 organizations, delivering hundreds of thousands of products daily. This is possible thanks to the collaboration of our volunteers, who, with a high level of commitment, sort and organize food at our distribution center,” he stated.
Staff from the bank gave us a talk at the beginning of the day, stressing the enormous need to raise awareness about reducing waste. They told us that by cutting just a quarter of the food that gets thrown away, a significant number of unmet needs could be fulfilled.
After the presentations and interviews, it was time to assemble boxes, filling them with food, recipes, Christmas cards, and a bit of love: I witnessed and participated in the joy and emotions as the pallets of boxes were completed.
I went home with a special sense of satisfaction: this Christmas, at 500 tables, there will be panettone and pudding, cookies baked with ingredients from those boxes. And for us, who sometimes have everything and don’t realize it, it may seem like little. But when you look closely, you see that for many, it is not.
