Fast Facts - 2009
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| 2 Mar - FoodBank Cape Town opens its doors. |
| 6 Apr - FoodBank South Africa inauguration. |
| 6 Apr - National government commits to supporting FoodBank South Africa. |
| 26 May - Launch of FoodBank Johannesburg. |
| 8 Jun - Admitted as a member of the Global FoodBanking Network. |
| 21 Jul - FoodBank Durban Launches |
1 Sep - FoodBank Cape Town launches Corporate Team Building Programme
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18 Sep - Premier Helen Zille visits FoodBank Cape Town
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22 Sep - FoodBank Port Elizabeth launches
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 October 1 is International Day of Older persons, and our lead story this month focuses on Meals on Wheels, one of our more well-known beneficiary agencies that we work with. In South Africa, hunger among the aged is 15% higher than the general population, with widows being an especially vulnerable risk group.
Tackling hunger requires a group effort, and we are delighted this month to bring some good news of people who are helping FoodBank do just that. Helen Zille, Premier of the Western Cape, rolled up her sleeves last month in Cape Town and joined the "sarmie army" of volunteers in our Lunch Buddies programme. A group of students in Durban from Crawford College learned first hand how some of our less fortunate citizens live on the outskirts of their city. And Lily Theriault, a four year old girl from Bermuda, used her birthday to raise funds for FoodBank.
But the big news this month is the launch of FoodBank Port Elizabeth, where a generous gift of 275 tonnes of maize meal help kickstart our goal of providing 20 million meals in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro by the end of 2009.
A special thank you to all our supporters and donors who are making this good news possible. On October 16, we will celebrate World Food Day, an international UN endorsed event to highlight hunger issues across the globe. FoodBank South Africa is planning an extensive publicity campaign on that day, including guest participation on eTV's Breakfast Show. We will be sending a special announcement shortly around the date highlighting ways you can be part of World Food Day.
Warm regards from the team at FoodBank SA
FoodBank Johannesburg helps out Meals on Wheels
 Meals on Wheels is one of South Africa's oldest food distribution charities, and most well-known in the field of providing nutritious meals for aged people. With October 1 being the International Day of the Aged, we focus specifically on Meals on Wheels co-operation in Gauteng with FoodBank Johannesburg.
Read more...
FoodBank Port Elizabeth opens with massive deposit
 The account of South Africa's fourth FoodBank, established in Port Elizabeth and unveiled to business, civic and government leaders today, was opened with a massive donation of 275 tonnes of maize meal.
The donation well exceeds Port Elizabeth's existing annual food turnover and will provide over 900 000 meals.
Read more...
Helen Zille and FoodBank CTN take a bite out of hunger
Western Cape Premier Helen Zille arrived at FoodBank Cape Town on Friday 18 September, ahead of schedule to prepare sandwiches for an underprivileged primary school in honour of 'Do it Day'.
This annual initiative by Greater Good South Africa, has encouraged South Africans to volunteer at local charities each 18 September since 2005. This year the Premier chose South Africa's first foodbank as her NGO of choice.
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Crawford College's community service at FoodBank DBN
 Crawford College students in Kwazulu-Natal took part in a twenty hours community service commitment at FoodBank Durban where they had the opportunity to play their part in feeding the City's needy.
The Life Orientation teacher at Crawford College felt that it was important for the grade 11 students to engage in their community and connect with those who are less fortunate.
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Bermuda Lily's birthday gift!
 You don't have to be a certain age nor live in South Africa to help FoodBank serve our nation's 14 million hungry. Young Lily Theriault of Bermuda raised US$140 (R1033) for FoodBank South Africa in lieu of gifts on the occasion of her fourth birthday party in September.
Lily sets a fine example to us all of how you can help those less fortunate, no matter how little or far away you are.
Read more...
Our Progress So Far...
 Each month you can track our progress in our goal of building 20 FoodBanks in 3 years in South Africa. Full plates show fully operational FoodBanks (currently 4), plates with just cutlery show FoodBanks in the incubation stage (currently 6) and the empty plates show FoodBanks yet to be established. We are proud to fill our fourth plate, Food Bank Port Elizabeth. Welcome to our table!
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