These Groups are Helping Families in Costa Rica Get Food

Featured image: food collecting by United Esterillos

Times are tough in Costa Rica. When the Costa Rican government shut down its borders on March 17th, it also turned stopped the tourism industry which supports 10% of the country’s economy. That number may not seem too high, but it is a much higher percent along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Employees working in hotels, restaurants, surf schools, spas, transportation, are all now without jobs. And the government isn’t writing any checks to its citizens to help them weather the storm during this pandemic.

So it falling on the beachside communities to help their own, and they are stepping up in a big way. From Tamarindo to the Osa Peninsula, local groups are raising funds, gathering food from local sources, and delivering them to families in need. Here is a list of those groups that are helping local families in Costa Rica get food and how you can help. We will continue to update this list as we find more volunteers offering assistance.

CAHUITA – CARIBE

The Facebook group Visit Cahuita has started a fundraiser to help families with food baskets. There are multiple ways to donate and every dollar goes directly to buying food. Here is their post on Facebook – LINK.

TAMARINDO AREA

Tamarindo Food Bank on Facebook. Here is their GoFundMe campaign.

CEPIA serving kids in the communities around Tamarindo

NOSARA

Nosara Food Bank on Facebook. For donations by credit card, use this LINK. If you would like to make an actual donation of a food item, Jo and Agnes of Villa Mango in Playa Pelada are accepting your donations from 10am to 2pm Monday through Friday. What items will help the families? 
Bags of beans
Bags of rice 
Oil 
Sugar 
Pastas
Coffee
Corn meal

SANTA TERESA AREA

Asociación de Desarrollo Integral de Mal Pais y Santa Teresa on Facebook.

They also have a direct link to their Paypal account – paypal.me/ADImalpaisantateresa

JACO / PLAYA HERMOSA / ESTERILLOS

United Esterillos on Facebook. You can drop off food at Supersol, Brett’s and at The Prices’ Car Shop Retana. Currently they are collecting only non-perishable items. Beans, rice, pasta, milk, oatmeal, oil, coffee, sugar, canned meats, canned vegetables, bar of soap, and toilet paper.

DOMINICAL

Mama Toucans food collection on Facebook. Stop by the store and donate unwanted food, clothing, household items and toys as well as financial donations in-store and online.

OJOCHAL / OSA PENINSULA

Family Support Center of Ojochal on Facebook. They are looking for cash donations so families get a voucher for food that lasts two weeks.

Comidas para la Osa GoFundMe project LINK – They re working together with people from the communities of Puerto Jimenez, Matapalo and Carate to supply those in need with food baskets. $40 will support one family for one week and they wish to extend this help to other communities if enough donations are given.

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If you know another group that should get attention for their work helping the community, please send us a note.