Chocolate production helps maintain a social center that serves almost 170 children in the interior of SP Disclosure | Reproduction/TV TEM Consumed by six out of every 10 Brazilians, chocolate also stands out for its social role in Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo (SP). For more than 30 years, Chocolataria do Frei Chico has been producing chocolates, bars and honey bread to help support the São José Social Center, an entity that serves vulnerable children in the municipality. This Tuesday (7) World Chocolate Day is celebrated. Find out more about the date at the end of the report. ? Join the g1 Bauru and Marília channel on WhatsApp Chocolate production helps maintain a social center that serves almost 170 children in Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo (SP) Reproduction/TV TEM Founded by Frei Chico, Centro Social São José has existed for around 40 years and currently serves approximately 170 children after school. The entity also maintains a full-time shelter for up to 20 children away from family life. READ ALSO: Bars and restaurants can request certification seal for the original bauru sandwich recipe Solidarity Thermometer: campaign donates more than 38 thousand winter items in the interior of SP Has a Solution: from cigarette butts to old tires, projects transform waste into sustainable products In the beginning, the objective was to produce Easter eggs for the children served by the entity, who did not have the resources to buy them. The success, however, meant that production increased and the sale of chocolates became a tradition and an important source of income. "We need to sell chocolate. Today it represents around 25% of the social center's expenses. Public funding is not enough, so we need to sell chocolate to maintain the entity", explained Élcio Belei, president of Centro Social São José, in an interview with g1. Chocolataria do Frei Chico in Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo (SP) produces chocolates, bars and honey bread Reproduction/TV TEM Currently, Chocolataria do Frei Chico has a team of 15 people, including employees and volunteers. In addition to the physical store at the entity, the group accepts orders for parties and participates in fairs in the region. Among the volunteers is Mirtes Saliba, 90 years old. For her, working in the production of chocolates is a way of contributing to children and staying active. "As long as I'm healthy, I'll be here, no matter what age I am. I do this for the children, to help them have better nutrition and everything they need", says Mirtes. Mirtes Saliba, 90 years old, is a volunteer at Frei Chico's Chocolataria in Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo (SP) Reproduction/TV TEM World Chocolate Day World Chocolate Day is celebrated on July 7th in reference to the product's arrival in Europe in the 16th century. Before that, cocoa was used mainly by Mesoamerican people, such as the Mayans and Aztecs, both in food, as currency and in religious rituals. Archaeological evidence indicates that cocoa seeds have been used for more than 5,300 years, originating in the Amazon basin. Where does what I eat come from: chocolate With its arrival in Europe, chocolate became a status symbol among the aristocracy, associated with wealth and power. The popularization of the product only occurred after the Industrial Revolution. In Brazil, cocoa seeds arrived around 1746, as a gift to the Bahian farmer Antônio Dias Ribeiro. The favorable climate and soil allowed the development of crops in Bahia, where production was consolidated before supplying the national market. In 2025, according to data from Kantar Worldpanel, the average consumption of chocolate in Brazil will be around 3.9 kilos per person per year. The product is present in more than 92% of Brazilian homes and is consumed regularly by six out of ten people. Chocolat Amazônia 2026 – Cocoa and Chocolate Festival Reproduction/Agência Pará