New beginning for Food Pantry

Update

GEORGE NEWS - Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the Garden Route Food Pantry is utilising the recent fire at its premises as an opportunity to grow and extend its reach through the community.

The fire broke out on Saturday afternoon, 7 August, at the premises in Glaze Street in George, causing tremendous damage.

Although the losses are devastating, as the NGO had no insurance on the contents, the community has rallied together to ensure the downtime will be minimal, so that food can flow to the community as soon as possible.

ALSO READ: Fire at Garden Route Food Pantry

Managing director, Carl van Blerk, said on Monday that many soup kitchens across the whole district rely heavily on the food the pantry provides. "So our greatest priority now is to get back to receiving donations from our sponsors and distributing the food to beneficiaries."

New premises

Due to the considerable structural damage, the Food Pantry has moved permanently to a new address across the street from the old warehouse in Glaze Street (next door to the Takealot depot).

The new facility is more than double the size, which opens the door to new prospects for the kitchen facility, and management of donations.

"With a small increase in the rental, the extra space allows us to be more productive and even share office space with other related NGOs," said Van Blerk. Although the fire has resulted in a short delay in operations, the Food Pantry management is still working hard to grow the relief efforts by reaching out to farmers, food production entities and retailers to support the vision of making the Garden Route a food secure region.

New campaign

Van Blerk is currently working on a campaign strategy that will see two days in the year promoted as food donation days, encouraging schools, businesses and the public to donate one item of non-perishable foods to the food pantry stock.

According to him this district-wide campaign will go a long way to addressing the emergency food shortages and will be a landmark project for the Western Cape.

"It should not be hard for most individuals to give just one tin, a packet of soup mix or a pasta product, twice a year.

"We will also ensure that each of the municipal region donations be recorded and that the food donations back to those regions will far exceed what was donated," he said.

The biggest challenge right now is the floor in a section of the new warehouse facility. It is a rough and damaged concrete floor, unsuitable for working with food.

The Food Pantry is looking for assistance in repairing the floors, even if it is on a partial sponsorship basis. If you can help, please contact Van Blerk on 082 826 0731 for more information.

A wall at the new premises displays the 'bricks' with names of contributors.