GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - The Disaster Management Centre of Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) collected food items from the Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) in Cape Town to assist shelters situated in all municipal areas with food relief.

This follows Disaster Management Manager Gerhard Otto's application for food relief with a list of specified items earlier in the month. The request was approved four days later, on 8 June and on Wednesday 10 June the municipality fetched the donations.

This assistance came at a crucial time after Oudtshoorn and Bitou municipalities shortly before Otto’s request, indicated the need for essential food items at their respective shelters for homeless people. Itemba in Oudtshoorn accommodates 18 homeless, while Native Roots, situated in Plettenberg Bay, accommodates 40 persons. 

Homeless persons are not only accommodated at these shelters, but are also cared for during the COVID-19 pandemic and kept safe and healthy during this unprecedented time.

Preparation of the food will be done at kitchens approved by the GRDM Municipal Health Services section. The kitchens will be managed by non-governmental and faith based organisations in the respective municipal areas.

Soup kitchens supported by the respective municipalities will also benefit from this donation. The items approved and donated by DSD, include: porridge, beef and chicken soup, juice, pasta, mince, chicken casserole, maize meal and pilchards.

Executive Mayor of GRDM, Cllr Memory Booysen, welcomed the donation and extended a word of gratitude to DSD. 

"The donation is confirmation of our good working relations with provincial departments. It is important that we continue with our efforts to explore any possibility to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of our residents, most importantly the most vulnerable."

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