FoodBank South Africa provides food support to 1,059 agencies countrywide. These are community-based non-governmental organisations such as children’s homes, edu-care centres, crèches, homes for abused and destitute people, HIV clinics and feeding schemes. In Cape Town, we supply food to 224 agencies who collectively have 41 326 beneficiaries.The biggest agency we serve in Cape Town is The Ark City of Refuge in Eersteriver. Founded in 1973, The Ark provides temporary accommodation to abandoned, abused, homeless and/or addicted men and women, including women with children. Its mission is to empower and equip people to take up their rightful place in society.
FoodBank supplies The Ark with about 7 tonnes of food a month to help it provide three meals a day to 750 residents.
Dawn Meek, who manages public relations for The Ark, says FoodBank is The Ark’s “most reliable partner”.
“FoodBank relieves us of the stress of having to buy or source donated food. Without this burden, we can apply our energy and passion to our projects, which include supporting single mothers to build their capacity to parent their children, skills training in sewing, carpentry, welding, painting, driver learning and early learning for kids.
“Once a week, we get fresh fruit, vegetables and bread, as well as dry goods like rice, maize and cereals,” explains Meek. “Sometimes we receive small donations from other sources, but it’s not regular – you never know what you’ll get!”
Help The Ark and the other 1058 agencies we serve. Click here to join the Fill the Gap Club.
