SA Harvest, based on Australia’s world-renowned OzHarvest officially launched in Mzansi last year November, since then, the organization has already delivered 40,000 meals to the homeless in Cape Town. The organization recently collected pre-expired food from airline catering companies, restaurants, bakeries and delis who closed their doors and kitchens at midnight last night because of the national lockdown.
The rescued food will be distributed to people in Cape Town and Johannesburg who need it the most during the country’s lockdown. Homelessness and hunger are expected to increase rapidly over the lockdown period adding further problems. Statistics reveal that over 10 million tons of the food we produce already goes to waste annually, the cost of which to our country is in excess of R65bn.
Alan Browde, CEO of SA Harvest, said his team worked against the clock to collect and deliver five tons of food before the shutdown last night. The food will be stored hygienically and in fridges, and prepared and distributed from The Service Dining Rooms in Zonneblom, Cape Town, and the Phuthaditjhaba Centre in Alexandra, Johannesburg, from where they will be distributed to smaller facilities in the area for dispensing.“At an average of 330 grams per serving, our aim was to get 15,000 nutritious meals collected yesterday, and with the help of our donors Vida e caffè, Pick ‘n Pay, Kauai, RCL Foods and Food Directions we were able to do just that,” he said.
Browde adds, “We are mindful of the lockdown protocols in place regarding social distancing, sanitizing and hygiene but we will remain committed to food rescue in South Africa despite the challenges the Coronavirus has presented us and the country”.Moreover, SA Harvest will continue to distribute food to the homeless and hungry during the 21-day lockdown period.
