The account of South Africa's fourth FoodBank, established in Port Elizabeth and unveiled to business, civic and government leaders today, was opened with a massive donation of 275 tonnes of maize meal.
The donation well exceeds Port Elizabeth's existing annual food turnover and will provide over 900 000 meals.
FoodBank Port Elizabeth Director Colin Fox, said the challenge however was in sustaining a steady balance of deposits and withdrawals.
"The table is set but any bank needs to have more deposits than withdrawals and we need food and lots of it to feed the estimated 800 000 people in the Metro who live below the breadline", Fox said.
He said the participation in FoodBank of a cross section of government personnel and departments "was indicative of its intent to halve poverty and unemployment by 2014."
The FoodBank has a 1000 sqm warehouse in Deal Party into which surplus quality food reaching its sell by date is housed before being repackaged, prepared and distributed to numerous food relief agencies.
As part of an international movement, Global FoodBanking Network, FoodBank South Africa hopes to introduce foodbanking to South Africa through building 20 FoodBanks in South Africa by December 2011.
South Africa's FoodBanks already exist in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.
Fox said the effectiveness of the FoodBank would depend on the degree to which community organisations owned it.
"Food relief attempts are very fragmented in the Metro. The co-operation of NGOs, corporations, public, religious bodies and others is essential if we are going to be successful in making many little people one big person, one big bank with one vision - to feed the hungry."
"We appeal to food manufacturers, food markets, food exporters, importers, wholesalers, retailers and restaurants to contact us to collect, repackage and distribute surplus, unused food to millions in the Metro who do not know where their next meal will come from.''
Fox said FoodBank South Africa - a Section 21 Company - would require support and assistance from the Metro's business community from logistics and packaging companies to chef trainers and kitchen equipment.
Fox, who as a volunteer, established and operates the Robin Good Initiative which distributes food, said the Food Bank was a response to the "moral duty we have to feed the hungry in the most effective way possible".
Readers and organisations who wish to play a part in establishing FoodBank Port Elizabeth through financial donations, food sourcing or warehousing equipment and furnishings, can contact Colin Fox on Tel.: +27 (0)41 582 2918, Cell: +27 (0)82 337 2045, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
