800 parcels donated

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Stakeholders from far and near took hands recently, to distribute 800 food parcels to those in need in Graaff-Reinet and surrounds.

According to Riana Van der Ahee, spokesperson for Yuyani Safe Haven, the home approached the KFC Add Hope Fund for help, after the fund announced that beneficiaries could apply for food parcels to give to communities in need. Vuyani has been a beneficiary of the Add Hope Fund for the past five years.

Early in April, their request for 800 food parcels was approved.

"Delivery came via Makro in Port Elizabeth through the logistics of Hope Worldwide and YUM, while KFC Add Hope provided the funding. Montego Pet Nutrition from Graaff-Reinet was willing to bring the 13 ton of food with no cost to Graaff-Reinet from PE," Van der Ahee explained.

She added that a group of volunteers from the Assembly Church assisted Vuyani to offload the truck and packed the food bags for distribution.

Other helpers included Camdeboo Hospice, CMR, Boundless and some churches through the Ministers Fraternal, who formed part of the distribution team. Distribution was monitored through the Covid-19 Committee that coordinates the even spread of food parcels in the community.

Food parcels, packed and ready to go.

On 25 April, a group drove to Nieu-Bethesda, where they also distributed around 60 bags. The leader of the group was Hento Davids from the Covid-19 Foodbag Distribution Committee, who was accompanied by a social worker from the Department of Social

Development, and members of Graaff-Reinet SAPS. SANParks gave a bakkie and a trailer to make the trip possible."Vuyani Safe Haven wants to thank each and every individual, organisation, government department and church who gave selflessly of their time and more, to assist us in providing the Add Hope food bags to our community during the Covid-19 pandemic's lockdown period," Van der Ahee said.

"A huge thank you to KFC, who served the Graaff-Reinet community through this project, and we pray that all the franchises who provide food and work to our communities will be able to reopen when the Covid-19 pandemic subsides."

Thirteen ton of food offloaded, now to get sorting!