Residents prove they can make a difference

Four years ago, a couple from Sunninghill started a soup kitchen to feed displaced people living under the bridges in the area every Tuesday.

Lawrence Bryon and his wife Jackey said seeing people every day sleeping on the streets and having nothing to eat touched them and sparked the idea for a soup kitchen feeding scheme. The couple were later joined by other generous members of the community who offered to lend a helping hand.

In March this year when President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the country was going into a lockdown, the kitchen had to stop its work. However, with the help of Sunninghill Community Ratepayers Association chairperson Linda Gildenhuys, a Community Action Network (Can) was formed to continue with feeding the homeless.

“When we started a soup kitchen four years ago to feed those living on the streets every Tuesday, our aim was to help them go to sleep with a full stomach,” said Lawrence.

“When lockdown came into effect in March, we had to stop feeding but through Can we were able to continue feeding. A number of local businesses and individual community members came on board and donated food parcels.”

Aside from feeding the displaced every week, Can has donated hundreds of blankets and food parcels to them. Gildenhuys said they were very supportive of the volunteers’ good work to help the poor. “It is not a ratepayers’ initiative but that of a number of residents concerned about the plight of the poor and hungry in Sunninghill, be they homeless or residents who have lost their income,” Gildenhuys added.

“We performed a facilitation role and helped them set up the Community Action Network so that everyone would feel comfortable with who and what they were getting involved with.”

Lawrence thanked the councillor of Ward 132, Annette Deppe for her support and donation of hot meals to the initiative.

Deppe said, “I opened an account with SPAR so that I can raise funds to help those affected by Covid-19, either the homeless or those who lost their jobs due to the outbreak of the pandemic. I have asked business community and CEO’s of companies to put money into the account so that I can buy food to feed people all over Region A. Sunninghill fall part of Region A and that is why I came here as well to help CAN feed the people.”

Those who would like to donate clothes and food parcels can drop them off at:

Sunninghill Super SPAR in the Sunninghill Shopping centre, corner Maxwell and Edicon Crescent; The Can shop, Sunninghill Shopping Centre, downstairs from the SPAR; Sunninghill Square Pharmacy which is located in the Sunninghill Square Centre corner of Rivonia and Naivasha roads