Hunger is Real - Offer A Meal

Hunger and the Coronavirus

The world is living through unprecedented times. The coronavirus (COVID-19) is causing anxiety, uncertainty, and disruption. As is often the case, people living in hunger and poverty are likely to suffer the most. Though we may feel powerless and overwhelmed, we are not. Now is the time to heed God’s call to care for the “least among us.”

How it Works

Our approach is three-fold:

1. FOOD PARCELS TO ST VINCENT DE PAUL:

We have contacted the Peninsula School Feeding Association who are able and willing to put together parcels of non-perishable foodstuffs for R150 each. Each parcel can feed a family of 4 for 5-7 days. The Society of St. Vincent De Paul (SVdP) of the Steenberg Parish (our neighbour) is able to distribute these parcels to needy families they have identified in the community. We have a long-established relationship with this SVdP and our experience has shown us that they effectively minister to the most needy in the community, irrespective of creed or colour.

2. THE ARCHDIOCESE FOOD PARCEL FUND:

The Archdiocese of Cape Town has also initiated a project creating a centralised packing system which will distribute food parcels via applications from Parishes. This is a well-managed system, where monies donated go directly to the hungry and are not absorbed by administration. The Archdiocese oversees the administration and all administrative fees are absorbed by the Archdiocese itself.

3. PARISH OUTREACH PROGRAMME:

The continued support by the Parish Finance Council of our existing Outreach Initiatives. Most of our Outreach contribution is in the form of feeding schemes and soup-kitchens that will fall outside of the parts 1 and 2 above. With the desperate needs created and exacerbated by this crisis, we hope to boost our assistance to our long-standing partners who minister in Lavender Hill, Imizamo Yethu, Capricorn and other needy environments.

What we have done

A summary of what we have been able to do so far on your behalf:

1. St Vincent de Paul St Anne’s in Steenberg (reported to you in our last update): Before Easter we distributed 200 food parcels. View pictures in our Photo Gallery
2. 1st Donation to the Archdiocese Food Parcel programme: We were able to make a very generous donation to this project which distributed 2 400 parcels throughout the Archdiocese. Please see the Archdiocesan website for a report and pictures: adct.org.za.
3. NOAH (Neighbourhood Old Aged Homes) in Atlantis: This is a Catholic Organisation that gives care to the vulnerable elderly.
4. Missionaries of Charity in Khayelitsha: We assisted with a donation for sanitary wear and basic hygiene products for their home for dying people and abandoned children. They called this simple act ‘Divine Providence’ in their letter of thanks.
5. St John Parish, Maitland: Through the Peninsula Feeding Scheme we were able to deliver 50 parcels to assist their outreach to the vulnerable of Maitland, Kensington and Facreton. They are currently trying to feed 400 people a month!
6. CAN Westlake: Through the CAN network we were able to assist in a specific way for parcels to be delivered in Capricorn.
7. CAN LH & Steenberg: Through CAN network we were able to assist in Lavenderhill and steenberg as well. View pictures in our Photo Gallery
8. St Owen Parish, Scottsdene: Through the Parish initiative we were able to assist with their soup kitchen in Scottsdene, a very impoverished sector of Kraaifontein. They have been able with this assistance to increase the soup kitchen to twice a week. View pictures in our Photo Gallery
9. St Matthews Parish, Bonteheuwel: A generous donation was able to kick start a feeding scheme and soup kitchen from 5 different points over the period of a week. Initiated and cooked by the Parish Priest and distributed by the parishioners especially to children and the elderly in the most impoverished parts of Bonteheuwel. View pictures in our Photo Gallery
10. Deep South Community Kitchens for Ocean View and Redhill: This initiative ranges from Fish Hoek to Simons town attempting to meet the hunger needs of the many different enclaves of people in this area. They have found soup kitchens more cost effective and efficient and so we were able to help with a donation to feed 3 000 people for a day.
11. 2nd Donation to the Archdiocese Food Parcel programme: The second round of food parcels has been initiated by the Archdiocese. Again, in your name we were able to make a sizeable contribution. Please see the Archdiocesan website for a report and pictures: adct.org.za.
12. Nazareth House Care: We provided a donation which has been used to purchase hand soap / hand sanitizer much needed for covid-19 protection and preparedness.

We have endeavored to spread your generosity as far as is possible within the Archdiocesan, SVdP and Outreach networks. In this way we hope to reach as many people as possible!

God Bless and Thank You

We extend a huge and heartfelt thank you for the massive support received for our HUNGER IS REAL FUND. There has been an overwhelming response and we want to thank you for your selfless and caring generousity, especially at this time.

Many donations were made anonymously so we are unable to thank people personally – but please know that your immediate and generous response is much appreciated.  We want to gratefully acknowledge the sacrifice of these donations in a time of immense uncertainty, fear and upheaval in the lives of everyone. Thank you for the care and love you have shown for our shared humanity, a practical way of living discipleship in Jesus Christ.

We also extend our appreciation to and deep concern for all those in our community (friends and families) who are at the front-line of this battle - from medical personnel to those who keep the shops open. We acknowledge and appreciate the sacrifices you make and risks you take for the greater good. We also know that “hope springs eternal in the human breast” (Alexander Pope) and so we put our faith in our heavenly Father who will guide us through this storm to calmer waters. We pray too that when we emerge from the storm, we are better people and that through this we create a better world and society for those who come after us.