NEWS spreads the warmth in support of Khanyisa Soup Kitchen

The Bedfordview and Edenvale NEWS, in support of this year’s Mandela Day celebrations, launched the Khanyisa Trust Soup Kitchen Incentive Project.

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The project aims to collect food items for the kitchen, which provides meals to approximately 120 people a day, five days a week.

It is estimated that approximately 70 per cent of the people visiting the kitchen on a daily basis are homeless, with approximately 30 per cent being unemployed.

Also read: Help Edenvale’s Kanyisa Trust to help others

Meals are served weekdays from 10am to 11am. On Fridays the kitchen prepares extra meals as take-aways for the weekend.

During the Khanyisa Trust’s annual general meeting held on May 20, it was reported that the organisation experienced a significant increase in the number of people visiting the soup kitchen with the supply of meals rising by 25 per cent.

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It was also reported at the meeting that support received, enabled Khanyisa to continue to manage costs and to provide nearly 25 000 meals and food parcels at a cost of R1,41 per meal.

Khanyisa aims to ensure that the nutritional content of meals meets most of the daily nutritional requirements for an adult.

For many families in Edenvale, Khanyisa’s daily meal is the only meal they will receive each day and the number of people who make use of the soup kitchen continues to increase.

As well as serving a warm meal each day, Khanyisa runs an employment placement service.

“We work together as a team and have volunteers. Tomorrow’s menu is determined today and we are always in need of volunteers,” said Dipuo Tekana, the Khanyisa centre manager.

Leigh Evans, secretary of the organisation, has previously explained to the NEWS that the word Khanyisa means spreading the light, which is what the organisation hopes to do for those in need.

How you can help

The NEWS urges readers to support our Khanyisa Soup Kitchen Incentive Project by donating any of the food items listed below.

These donations will be handed over by the NEWS in celebration of Mandela Day.

The NEWS will also publish an advertising and editorial feature on July 19 where readers will have an in-depth look at how this kitchen operates, and a portion of the advertising revenue from this feature will also go towards the soup kitchen incentive project.

Advertisers who wish to support this worthy project can contact Sanet Bester or Val Wepener on 011 609 4966.

Readers can drop off donations at the NEWS’ office at shop 18A, Greenstone Crescent, Greenstone Hill.

Khanyisa Soup Kitchen needs:

Non-perishable foodstuffs such as rice, samp, sugar, salt and tinned foods including fish, beans, mixed vegetables, peas and corned beef, and dried vegetables such as sugar beans.

Since it is winter, there are a number of welcome “comfort” items as well that can be donated including blankets, scarves, beanies and socks.