GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Garden Route Food Pantry is growing and continues to expand its reach into local communities.

This is partly due to the success of the Food Socks project, which was launched in March.

Food Sock Meals started from a small beginning and is now providing tens of thousands of meals per day, right across South Africa and even into Namibia.

Carl van Blerk, founder and CEO of the Food Pantry, told George Herald that despite the growing challenges in the food industry, the non-profit company continues to make positive strides in providing nutritional food for those in need.

He started the George-based NGO in 2021 and since then, many tons of food that had been destined for destruction, have been distributed to soup kitchens and feeding centres.

Over three million meals have been provided in this time.

A donation of 2,6 tons of high-quality pasta was recently received, through funds generated from the sale of food socks, and is currently being distributed to feeding centres registered with the Food Pantry.

"Without the continued support of our regular donors, such as New Harvest, Mandalay Farms, Glenwood House, Food Forward as well as Mujos, Zondagh Farms and many more, this would not be possible," says Van Blerk.

The Food Pantry is still attempting to negotiate donations from the larger retail stores in George, as well as other farms in the outlying regions.

He said the success of the food socks means that additional funding is now available to also purchase fresh produce from emerging farmers in the area.

Among the expanding plans will be to grow the corporate partnerships in the George area, so that local businesses can gain tax benefits from their donations to the Food Pantry through the acquisition of a Section 18A certificate. 

These donations need not be monetary only, as food donations also qualify for Section 18A benefits.

Van Blerk can be contacted at carl@echo.org.za.

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