17 000 meals from 133 soup kitchens

GEORGE NEWS - George Municipality has 133 registered home-based soup kitchens that are doing amazing work during this lockdown period. They have been busy and working non-stop.

Yesterday, 16 April, 17 000 meals were served from their home kitchens in vulnerable communities across the municipality, and the numbers are increasing.

Most kitchens serve two meals a day – pap at around 10:00 and soup, noodles or another meal based on types of food available, at around 14:00.

Blessed and grateful
George Municipal Manager Trevor Botha said the municipality was blessed that it could extend an existing service in a time of crisis with dedicated staff and selfless people who had been feeding people from their homes for years. “The municipal kitchens project has more than tripled its services in response to Covid-19 – from one meal a day, three times a week for mainly children and the elderly, to two meals a day, seven days a week to as many people as possible.

“We are grateful for the ongoing food donations from individuals, businesses and NGOs and ask that donations continue so we can keep our soup kitchens open and running throughout the Covid-19 crisis period,” said Botha.

Aim: 140 soup kitchens
Initially the 140 soup kitchens were closed when lockdown started because the homeowners’ health might have been a concern or they might have been potentially vulnerable. "In most cases other healthy and less vulnerable people have since come in to serve in their place."

Today 133, soup kitchens are dishing out food and the remaining seven should be up and running within the next few days.

There is at least one kitchen in every vulnerable area, five to ten kitchens in larger communities, more than 20 in the greater Thembalethu area and nearly 30 in rural areas.

Health protocols
The staff have been trained in the Covid-19 health protocols and supplied with hygiene packs and protective gear including masks, gloves and sanitiser. "They have been issued with health permits and social distancing, handwashing and other health and safety measures are implemented."

Since nearly all the kitchens have been running for years, locals know where to go or can easily find out. The addresses of the kitchens can however not be made public for the safety of the home owners. "If anybody need the address of their nearest soup kitchen, they can phone the George Municipality Community Development section during office hours on 044 802 2000 for information."

Donation
The municipality has also established a drive-through donation centre at City Hall and will in weeks to come heavily depend on support from all sources to supplement its current available budget. “We are acutely aware of the far-reaching implications of the lockdown and anticipate the impact on communities to extend beyond the lockdown period and current available funds. With this in mind, we are managing stocks for municipal kitchens with a long-term approach to maximise the benefit to our communities as a whole,” said Botha. He said they also ask that people use their drive-through system rather then drop food donations at soup kitchens. They can sanitize the products and make sure each kitchens get what they need.

The stop-and-drop centre is open 08:00 - 18:00 on weekdays and 08:00 - 17:00 on weekends and public holidays.

People using online grocery delivery services wanting to donate, can make up an online basket and enter the delivery address as Drive-through centre City Hall, 71 York Street, George.

Types of items that will make a big difference include cooking oil, mielie meal, wheat flour, yeast, milk, sugar, salt, coffee, tea, samp, beans, macaroni, soup powder, stock and fresh or frozen vegetables, meat and fish. Cleaning products such as dishwashing liquid, sponges, dishcloths, bleach, all-purpose cleaner and handwash laundry soap and hygiene products such as soap and hand cream are welcome.

“We cannot thank enough the people who are making these projects happen. In addition to our staff from all departments who are working and volunteering, there are countless private individuals, businesses and community organisations that are donating and helping wherever they can in the face of extraordinary challenges. I commend and thank you for affirming our belief that our people are our solution,” said Botha.

Sanitiser and handwashing in the soup kitchen queues.