Durban — The Angel Wings Foundation delivered 98 food parcels to vulnerable communities who desperately needed assistance in Durban.
The food parcels were donated through the collaboration of hunger relief and food rescue organisation SA Harvest and the Solidarity Fund campaign.
A total of 10 000 food parcels are expected to be delivered in six provinces through the campaign.
According to SA Harvest, the equivalent of more than 1.8 million meals will be delivered across the country by the end of the campaign in February.
On Friday, the uMngeni community in the Durban CBD and uThando Restoration in Umbumbulu received food items such as potatoes, butternut and maize meal.
Angel Wings Foundation spokesperson Hilton Stander said they feed about 24 000 mouths on average every week.
Stander said the foundation has been running for almost three years.
“Our reach goes into 53 areas stretching from Molweni, Botha’s Hill, Mariannhill, Pinetown, Sydenham, Overport, Newlands West and East, KwaMashu and on some occasions as far as Phoenix. In the south were are stretched all the way to Wentworth to Illovu. We feed elders, children and families that are desperate,” he said.
He said the organisation was founded to serve the community of their church and the surrounding areas.
“We get up every day to continue what we’re doing because we believe as a faith-based organisation that is something that we were instructed to do, almost commanded to do in a real sense to go out and take care of those in need,” said Stander.
Stander said beneficiaries were chosen based on their levels of need within communities.
“Our co-ordinators in their particular areas identify major needs and bring them to our attention. We then do our best to get sponsors and assistance as we do from SA Harvest and other people that provide vegetables to us. The Solidarity campaign means a great deal to us because it brings much-needed relief to many members in our community,” he said.
In a statement, SA Harvest said it had developed an app that enables capturing detailed demographic data on recipients of food parcels.
Alan Browde, the CEO and founder of SA Harvest, said the first two weeks of the campaign had highlighted some of the critical issues facing the country.
“While charity is essential to meet the drastic need in South Africa right now, it is not a long-term solution. Only through systemic intervention can we end hunger,” said Browde.
Daily News