Meals on Wheels income diminished

GEORGE NEWS - The George Meals on Wheels Community Services (MOWCS) branch experienced a significant drop in the number of businesses and individuals supporting the organisation during the Covid pandemic.

According to branch treasurer Marie Potgieter, the lockdown has drained their funds because of the greater need that emerged on the one hand and the drop in donations on the other. Food prices have also gone up.

"Many people who have been giving monthly to the organisation for years, have informed us that they are discontinuing their donations."

She says the branch receives a small subsidy from the public's debit order donations which goes to the organisation's national branch before being divided among all the branches countrywide.

The subsidy fluctuates depending on the income.

"Meals on Wheels depends solely on public donations to fund our operations and distribution costs. Volunteers help to do deliveries and we do need more of them. We appeal to the community to please reach out to us with donations and for volunteers to contact us," says Potgieter.

The organisation's primary focus is the elderly, disabled, and individuals who are destitute. Between 500 and 800 cooked meals are sent out to such persons every month. A needs analysis is done of anyone who wants to register to receive meals.

Samp and beans project

The second leg of their services is a samp and beans project through which thousands of packets of samp and beans are distributed to other non-profit organisations in George and environs, as far as Willowmore, the Baviaans and Oude Muragie in the Little Karoo.

This provides between 30 000 and 40 000 meals per month.

Feeding hungry children at schools

Branch manager of 21 years Cora Fourie says due to the growing need in the community, they have also begun supplying four primary schools in George with cooked meals once a week.

Meals are sent to certain old-age homes and once a week Cremhog (Christian Rehabilitation Ministries to the Homeless of George) also receives a cooked batch.

Arnistey Elbrugh weighing samp and bean packets to be distributed through the George area. Photo: Alida de Beer

Donors make it possible

She says their donors make their service possible. "All our fuel is donated by a few local filling stations. Our current delivery vehicle was donated in 2009 by the Airports Company of South Africa. We have been blessed with such wonderful support from generous donors in the George community over the years, for which we are truly grateful."

They use the premises of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in George East where they have a fully equipped kitchen, made possible through donations of equipment from the community. One of their urgent needs is a gas oven and top burner that would help save on long-term running costs.

Meals on Wheels was established in 1964 in East London by Dr Denis Baird. The George branch opened in 2001 and is one of more than 700 centres in the country.