18 July marks Mandela Day where people around the world are encouraged to spend 67 minutes doing something positive for their communities in honour of Nelson Mandela’s 67 years spent fighting for social justice, equality and democracy.
FoodForward SA has partnered with Pick ‘n Pay and the Nelson Mandela Foundation to take up the challenge to collect enough food to provide 1 million meals for its 600 beneficiary organisations across the country.
Now in its second year, the FoodForward SA Mandela Day Food Drive is a national call to action that encourages corporates and individuals to unite against hunger and work together to help those in need.
Established in 2009 to address widespread hunger in South Africa, FoodForward SA connects a world of excess to a world of need by recovering surplus food from the consumer goods supply chain.
The organisation’s 600 Beneficiary Organisations collectively feed around 250 000 people daily, and a meal is only R0.79 each since all the food is donated. Beneficiary Organisations include orphanages, creches, institutes, disability care facilities, aged care and skills and youth development.
In 2017, FoodForward SA’s Mandela Day Food Drive in partnership with Pick n Pay raised 130 tons of staple foods, and more than 5 000 volunteers supported the campaign by either volunteering in-store or sorted and packed the food across the country, during their 67 minutes. This year FoodForward SA and PnP are aiming to raise 1 million meals!
“The true spirit of nation building and unity was in action which helped FoodForward SA address food insecurity in South Africa in a meaningful way”, says Andy Du Plessis, Managing Director of FoodForward SA.
There are several ways to get involved, such as volunteering in-store or purchasing basic food ingredients at selected Pick n Pay stores nationally from 13-15 July or spending your 67 minutes on Mandela Day at one of the packing events in 6 provinces across the country.
