GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - By supporting a new community service initiative called Meal Tickets, residents can help those in need of nutritious food. The initiative was started under the banner of the Garden Route Food Pantry.

Carl van Blerk, founder of the Garden Food Pantry and chief executive officer of the organisation, told George Herald on Monday 12 June that the concept behind Meal Tickets is to encourage locals to become involved in "healing" the city of George.

"Many people have a strong desire to help those in need, but are unsure as to how they can do so without their money being used for the wrong purposes. By giving our citizens the opportunity to hand over a meal ticket, they not only are ensured that it will be put to good use where the recipient can get a hot meal, but it is also nutritious and dignified. 

"We would like to encourage the public to consider helping someone in need, especially in the cold weather, where a hot meal can truly be a life-saver," said Van Blerk.

Booklets of 10 tickets are available for R100 a booklet at various sites in George. Van Blerk hopes that more shop owners will contact the Food Pantry to offer their place as a Meal Ticket reseller, making them more accessible.

Meal Tickets are currently available at the following sites:

• Garden Route Food Pantry - Yellow Star Storage Facility, Pearl Street;
• 7ate9 Coffee Shop - Merriman Street;
• Print-T-Niqua - Hibernia Street; and
• Linger Coffee Shop - Liberty Church, Hope Street.

"By keeping your booklet of tickets in your car, at your workplace or at home, you are able to hand over a Meal Ticket when you feel drawn to make a small difference in someone's day," says Van Blerk.

Prepared at 7Ate9 Coffee Shop

Every Meal Ticket directs the recipient to 7Ate9 Coffee Shop where it can be exchanged for a Food Sock meal, prepared freshly on site. 

With eight different Food Socks meal options available, the recipients are able to benefit from a variety of tasty and nutritious meals if they regularly receive a Meal Ticket. Anyone is able to use the tickets.

The Meal Ticket project is sponsored by the Garden Route Food Pantry as another way to combat hunger in our city. Anyone wanting to contribute towards the costs and to boost further expansion of the Food Pantry can do so by making a donation to:

Eden Community Hope outreach NPC
Standard Bank
051001
Acc: 1013 1297 943

Ref: meal tickets

A 100% of these donations will be used to expand the Meal Ticket project.

‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’