Cape Town - Donors and sponsors who assisted feeding schemes and service providers in the southern suburbs at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, seem to have abandoned them.
To help, Pentecostal Evangelical Church (PEC) Youth of Retreat has launched a maize meal drive to support these groups by raising awareness as well as 1 000 bags and more of maize meal to be distributed within the communities.
Youth leader Storm Arnold said the majority of the feeding schemes, soup kitchens and crèches served a breakfast of maize meal in the mornings, and because of the financial strain many businesses experienced as a result from the pandemic, there was a decrease in donations and sponsors.
This meant that the feeding groups were in huge need of pap and sugar to continue serving those in need.
“Some organisations that usually feed six/seven days a week now feed twice a week, so we are trying to assist wherever we can and raise as many bags of maize meal as possible,” said Arnold.
One of the beneficiaries, Love Hope Faith Restoring Humanity founder Rayleigh van der Merwe said they served porridge and warm nutritional meals to those in need in Lavender Hill and Lotus River four days a week, but they were currently struggling because of a decrease in their usual donations, so the support was appreciated.
Another beneficiary, Peninsula School Feeding Scheme worker Yolanda Abel, said the drive was appreciated because children in the Parkwood community needed food, especially breakfasts before school.
Mogamat Nazeem McLean runs a feeding scheme in the Steenberg area with his wife, Sharief, where they provide meals to the vulnerable despite the increasing financial strain brought on by the pandemic. They will also receive assistance from this drive.
Anyone interested in contributing towards the drive was encouraged to leave their donations at 74 Seventh Avenue on Sundays between 10am and 12:30pm.
Contact the PEC Youth of Retreat on WhatsApp (+27 61 874 8591/ +27 61 370 0979).