Staying apart, supporting together
Employees from the Halls Fresh Produce group worldwide were invited to take part in setting up a fund to relieve the pressure on communities due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Each of the business’s offices worldwide have been tasked with identifying initiatives in their areas for which these funds will be used.
“While looking at the events in the news, we are seeing many people struggling with food aid and with basic water and shelter needs, hospitals struggling to obtain medical supplies and overworked staff,” said Tracey Davies, CEO of Halls.
“The Halls executive team wanted to do our part in creating a fund that would assist our people, our partners and our communities who find themselves in extreme hardship as a result of the current crisis.
We are grateful to be working, to have a courageous team around us, to have food and shelter and we are deeply empathetic to those who have been greatly impacted by this pandemic.”
The fund, “HFP Staying Apart. Supporting Together”, was started with contributions from the Halls executive team. Employees can contribute to the fund anonymously and it is completely voluntary.
The company has since matched the contributions made by employees. Those who are not able to make financial contributions have been encouraged to get involved in the packing and distribution of parcels.
“We understand that all our employees have their own set of circumstances and as such will have different means of contributing, so it is important to note that this is not an obligatory process,” Davies said.
There are very clear guidelines for the use of the fund.
“It will not be used to contribute to programmes that are already well-funded. We will also not contribute to programmes that are not well-governed, nor to non-essential activities.
“This is not a fund to win any popularity contest and the funds will definitely not be used for Halls’s gain. We hope that in this small way we are able to support the most vulnerable. We thank our Halls employees across the globe for contributing,” Davies concluded.
Since the start of the disbursements, an total of R160 000 from the fund has been allocated the joint venture between The Covid Flight, Halls, Buscor, Spar and Lowvelder.
We care for our community
The Halls Fresh Produce Group in the Lowveld stepped up to the Covid-19 challenge by fulfilling our role as a responsible corporate citizen and ensuring our people, and our community, receive proper support from us.
We have communicated healthcare messages to all our employees, placed hand sanitisers in all key areas around our operations and we ensure that the offices and operational areas are sanitised with antibacterial cleaning solutions throughout the day.
To comply with social distancing operationally, we have segregated our teams into smaller groups guided by a team leader. We have also adjusted our packing lines for this purpose.
Because we are deeply empathetic to those who have been impacted by this pandemic, we created a fund that will assist our people, our partners and our communities who hardship as a result of this crisis. Through the HFP Staying Apart
Supporting Together fund, we harvest hope for the vulnerable.
Halls is a considerable partner in The Covid Flight-Halls-Buscor-SPAR-Lowvelder project and we are very proud of our ongoing contribution to this worthy cause.
In partnership with companies in and around the Lowveld, we are able to reach out to destitute families by delivering food parcels to them.
We developed a Covid-19 information booklet and have printed 14 000 copies so far. The booklet was developed in six languages, in an effort to make the information understandable to as many communities as possible. One of the distribution channels for the booklet is with the delivery of food parcels.
You can help give to charity initiative
The Covid Flight-Halls-Buscor-Spar-Lowvelder project is a partnership between the Covid Flight group and four stalwarts of the Lowveld.
“Halls, Buscor, Spar and Lowvelder have been very efficient partners to The Covid Flight and we are very proud of the association with them,” said Felix Gosher, who heads up the nationwide Covid Flight initiative.
He said they have been blessed with the financial support they have received from people around the country to assist in our relief efforts necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have been especially blessed with financial contributions from people living in the Lowveld.
“Donors paid money to The Acorn Foundation, a public-benefit organisation that can issue Section 18a income tax certificates. But many are not interested in the tax benefit, they just want to assist food-relief efforts. The Lowveld is a lovely part of the country, filled with wonderful people,” Gosher said.
The Covid Flight-Halls-Buscor-Spar-Lowvelder project is appealing to Lowvelders to support their programme.
“We have been receiving enough donations and support to deliver 1 385 comprehensive food parcels to destitute families in Mganduzweni, Jerusalem, Masoyi, Mahushu, Mkhuhlu, Msogwoba, Matsulu, Oakley and Nkomazi so far,” said Leigh Green, Halls marketing manager, who also heads up The Covid Flight-Halls-Buscor-Spar-Lowvelder project.
“But the need is not going to decrease soon. The effect of the lockdown on the economy is very real. If people cannot work, they cannot buy food. We are in the fortunate position to assist, but we do need more support,” she said.
Green said the deliveries are not just drop-off.
“We are dealing with food and with the dignity of people – and we respect that. Destitute families are identified by the Department of Social Development’s social workers and when we start loading food for a delivery, we already have a verified list of beneficiaries that we will be delivering to.
“We also keep proper records and can supply a list of the 1 385 families that we delivered to. We believe this is the proper way to do it. It is not just for the sake of good order, but also for complete transparency,” she said.
“Together with Norah Fakude, chairperson of Buscor, we do proper planning to try and bring relief to our communities.
“The partnership works very well, because the partners, and their staff, really want to make a difference.”
People who want to support The Covid Flight-Halls-Buscor-Spar-Lowvelder project can contact Leigh Green on 066-492-7003 or email leigh@halls.co.za for more information.
“Payments can be made to the Acorn Foundation, ABSA account number 40-7861-9720. Please use TCF HBSL as reference. Proof of payment can be sent to leigh@halls.co.za and we will be in contact to have the Section 18a certificate issued to the donor,”
Green said.
The Acorn Foundation was established in 2011 and is a registered public-benefit organisation (PBO reg 930048253).
1 385 food parcels in one month
The Covid Flight-Halls-Buscor-Spar-Lowvelder project has delivered 1 385 comprehensive food parcels to families in need in the past month.
22 April: 200 parcels delivered to Mahushu (for families from Mganduzweni, Jerusalem, Masoyi and Mahushu)
2 May: 100 parcels delivered to Mkhuhlu
9 May: 220 parcels delivered to Msogwoba
10 May: 250 parcels delivered to Matsulu
15 May: 50 parcels delivered to Mkhuhlu and 250 parcels delivered to Oakley
22 May: 315 parcels delivered to Nkomazi
