Port Elizabeth has been selected as the next location for Foodbank South Africa, where we hope to play a significant role in feeding the Metro's estimated eight hundred thousand hungry.FoodBank Port Elizabeth would be the fourth FoodBank in South Africa, after Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.
As part of an international movement, Global FoodBanking Network, FoodBank South Africa is striving to remain on track to introduce foodbanking to South Africa through building 20 FoodBanks in South Africa by December 2011.
FoodBank Port Elizabeth Director Colin Fox said the FoodBank would manage a massive warehouse and distribution system, through which surplus quality food that is reaching is sell by date is collected, prepared, packaged and distributed to numerous food relief agencies.
"The FoodBanks in other centres collect and distribute between 40 and 300 tons of food every month. The aim is to turnaround 100 tons before year end in the Metro,'' he said.
The FoodBank would be launched before the end of September this year but Fox noted that much more work was still required.
"While the launch will signal that we have our legal and institutional structures, including board in place, it does not mean that the FoodBank will immediately be ready to distribute food."
"We appeal to food manufacturers, food markets, food exporters, importers, wholesalers, retailers and restaurants to contact us to collect, repackage and distribute surplus, unused food to millions in the Metro who do not know where their next meal will come from.''
FoodBank Port Elizabeth will require support and assistance from the Metro's business community from logistics and packaging companies to chef trainers and kitchen equipment.
Fox, who as a volunteer, established and operates the Robin Good Initiative, one of the founder members, said the FoodBank was a response to the "moral duty we have to feed the hungry in the most effective way possible".
If you or your organisation wish to play a part in establishing FoodBank Port Elizabeth through financial donations, food sourcing or warehousing equipment and furnishings, can contact Colin Fox on Tel.: +27-(0)41-582-2918, Cell: +27-(0)82-337-2045, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
