A community comes together to donate food
This project is not driven by political parties or churches in particular, but it’s a community effort to help those in dire need of food and basic relief.
Yet another food parcel community project in Kempton Park has been taken up by Kemptonians working hard at Gateway Presbyterian Church in Glen Marais.
Elayne Henderson, a Bonaero Park resident, approached Carina Wells from Gateway Church on Dann Road to see if Carina knew of anyone asking for assistance.
“This was at the same time that Amanda Davison and Jaco Terblanche contacted Carina looking for a place to assist as they had the NG Church in Birchleigh at the same time, but it couldn’t handle both sides of Kempton.”
Elayne said she was strictly working on a voluntary basis and this project was not affiliated with any political party or church, but that people were coming together to offer assistance to those in need of food.
Carina form Gateway approached Elayne and asked if she was able to assist in sorting and compiling parcels.
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“The WhatsApp messages haven’t stopped since then and over a 1 000 food parcels had been handed out.”
This community project functions on a first come, first served basis.
Are people eager to help? “We have had so many offers of volunteers to assist that we had to refuse it because we have an agreement with the police to let us do this as long as we still adhered to the lockdown rules. People feel for the hardships of others in our country,” said Elayne.
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The parcels include 2.5kg mielie meal (pap), 2kg rice, pasta, bread, flour, 2.5kg sugar, soya, soup (tins and packets), eggs, 1kg salt, 1 packet of tea, tinned food like beans, fish and veg, 1l oil, peanut butter, jam, potatoes, oranges, apples, baby items (nappies, baby food, formula), ladies sanitary products and soap.
“We put a list of basics together and asked people to donate whatever they could. We also have a bank account for donations and the church is ensuring we get the money directed to us so we can go to the stores and buy the items we are short of.”
A few companies have donated items. “People come with whatever. We have trolleys at Spar in Birchgate, De Wiekus and Edleen circle. Trolleys are also stationed at Pick n Pays in Bonaero Park, Brentwood , Glen Marais, Birchleigh North, Elgin Mall, Van Riebeeck Park (Soutpansberg) and Kempton Gate (Edleen).
“Shoppers are leaving donations which we collect as and when the managers let us know.”
Tables are set up at the NG Church in Birchleigh, as well as Gateway Church in Glen Marais, collecting donated items from the public. People are encouraged to drop and go.
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Drop-offs at Gateway Church on Dann Road can be done from 9am to 11am Mondays to Saturdays and at the NG Kerk Birchleigh on Olienhout Avenue daily between 11am and noon.
“We have our details on Facebook, but the word is spreading and whoever contact us we try to deliver to them depending on availability of donations and delivery guys. Gateway Church is covering the CBD side of the railway line and the NG Church the other side of the railway line.”
For more information or assistance, contact Carina Wells on 084 514 7269, Amanda on 072 527 4121, Jaco on 083 413 2420, or Elayne on 072 646 6742.
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