Northfield Methodist and its partners reaching out far and wide
In excess of 28 800 meals were prepared and delivered to homeless shelters in April
The Northfield Methodist Church’s mission and outreach ministry has been very busy distributing food to needy communities.
Jackie Hayter, the church’s communications officer, said everyone involved is working with all the necessary permits and keeping safety a top priority.
Donations of money, food, bread and basic goods have come in from Country Mushrooms, Freedom Church, Feed a Family, Food Forward, Sasko, Innercity Ministries, Pick n PayTowers, Project Antifreeze, Thrive Church (through their NPO called SHINE), GMF Foundation, the Northfield family and Benoni community.
Food, food parcels, bread and basic goods have, as a result of these donations, been distributed to Geduld Methodist Church, Selcourt Methodist Church, Trinity Methodist Church, Angel Wings, Kids Haven, Benoni Child Welfare, The Methodist Church?s Benoni Circuit Women?s Manyano, Reto Rehabilitation Centre, Ps Nico of AGS Brakpan, Ps. Allen of Tonk Meter informal settlement, Daveyton Old Age Home, Norah?s Educare Centre Putfontein, old age homes in Benoni, Lyttelton Methodist Church and Kwa-Thema Methodist Church.
All these organisations have distributed the goods into the communities that they serve and support.
Feeding project
Northfield, through John Wesley Community Centre and with the support of eMseni Conference Centre, is currently supporting and managing the feeding of 320 people at two homeless shelters – Springs (200 people) and Benoni (120 people).
In April, 28 800 meals were prepared and delivered to these shelters. In addition, the church supported 264 more people in two more shelters with three meals a day, in Olifansfontein and Kempton Park.
Government food parcels
Northfield has become the packing and collection point for 800 food parcels. Project AntiFreeze will manage the distribution, administration and logistics. “We will be working with several other churches and NGOs to pack these parcels and distribute them,” Hayter explained. “This was done in partnership with Operation AntiFreeze, Freedom Church, Alive Church, City on a Hill Church, Northfield Church Youth, Sinomsebenzi, the Benoni community, HomeStart and Innercity Ministry.”
Soup kitchen
Hayter said it has been proposed that they start a community soup kitchen just off Tom Jones Street in Benoni CBD. “Over the last two weeks, the number of homeless youths has increased on the streets and intersections of Benoni. “We will be supplying 500 loaves of bread and a warm soup takeaway meal. This will be done in conjunction with the Benoni Circuit and the SANDF.
“The Covid-19 mission team at Northfield have done a phenomenal job. The commitment and concern for the vulnerable has been heart-warming. We have been blessed by God?s provision and donations have poured in every day. While we don?t know what next week or next month hold, we know that we are called to serve the community as best we can,” she said.
Cycle challenge
On April 26, cyclist Courtney Kerr got onto his indoor cycle in his lounge and cycled 1 000km to raise funds needy causes, including Northfield Methodist Church’s outreach. It took hard work, but 39.5 hours later, just after midnight on April 28, he achieved his goal.
Every R100 raised is one food parcel for one person for one week. As of April 29, Kerr raised over R75 000 and the amount was expected to increase.
Hayter explained he uses an indoor cycling app called Zwift, which is also used by pro cyclists across the world, and by the sounds of it 1 000km in one go is one of the longest distances in the world.
