FoodBank South Africa

Newest foodbank serves thousands daily

FoodBank Johannesburg (FoodBank Jo'burg) has launched and already distributes approximately 75 tonnes of food each month - enough to help feed hungry people from more than 440 organisations in the Johannesburg area.

A launch celebration will take place at the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market in City Deep, south of Johannesburg, on 26 May 2009.

"This is just the beginning.  We expect that number to grow dramatically and fast," said Executive Director of FoodBank Johannesburg, Jan van der Walt.

This is the second foodbank opened by FoodBank South Africa (FoodBank SA), a network which aims to open 20 community and rural foodbanks within the next three years. FoodBank Johannesburg currently operates from a 1000m² warehouse at the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market in City Deep - but negotiations are in progress to increase the space to 3200m². A branch will also open in Pretoria.

The FoodBank SA model, in existence since March 2009 after 18 months of planning, is a collaboration between the grocery products industry, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and government ministries to align programmes and resources to get more food to more people. This model has been tried and tested in a over twenty countries around the world since it was conceived about 40 years ago.

Feedback Food Redistribution, Jo'burg Food Bank, and Pretoria Evangelism and Nurture have combined to create the latest foodbank.

The organisation procures good quality food, which is donated by the food and grocery industries, government agencies, individuals, and other organisations. The food is safely stored, using refrigeration where required, sorted into nutritionally sensible packages, and delivered to beneficiary agencies such as schools, soup kitchens and HIV/AIDS clinics.  These in turn feed the hungry and destitute.

FoodBank Cape Town launched on 02 March 2009 and operates from a 600m² warehouse in Philippi.

For more information please visit www.foodbank.org.za