GEORGE NEWS - In times of disaster, such as fire and/or very wet conditions, particularly during the winter months, the Community Development Section of George Municipality takes responsibility for assisting victims.
The officials compile a list of the displaced persons, who are given temporary accommodation at community halls.
In conjunction with the George Fire Brigade and the Rescue and Disaster management services, they help provide meals during victims’ stay at the halls, and assess victims’ home circumstances before they leave the hall.
During their stay at the halls, victims also receive one or two cooked meals per day. In severe disaster conditions, the meals are provided for more than three days. People who have lost their homes to fire are supplied with food products after a social worker has made an assessment of the situation.
If clothing is needed, this will also be provided. The municipality is extremely grateful to community members who donate clothing to the Community Development section for distribution to people in need.
In general, the municipality also provides a network of soup kitchens (community nutritional centres) with soup products on a monthly basis. It currently supplies 129 centres that in turn provide their communities with a cooked meal three days a week.
Photos: Supplied
The Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) provides additional products to 20 centres in the most disadvantaged areas so as to provide more meals. With the combined donations, the soup kitchens can provide a cooked meal five days per week - totalling 137 387 meals per month.
The soup kitchens concentrate on feeding chronically ill people and children. Covid-19 protocols remain in place at soup kitchens for as long as is necessary.
Individuals and organisations that want to continue supporting the community soup kitchens can drop off food, dry goods, supplies and clothing at the Community Development offices at the corner of Varing and St Johns streets (diagonally behind the main municipal building) during working hours (08:00 to 16:00).
Alternatively, they can phone the soup kitchen enquiries number, 044 802 2000.
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