Using social media to feed the hungry

The festive season is a time for giving and with the launch of The Social Meal Project, an innovative festive season campaign to create awareness about the plight of the homeless in Durban, restaurant patrons can now feed the needy using their cell phones.

The Social Meal Project is a joint initiative between the Denis Hurley Centre in the inner city, and top ad agency Ogilvy and Mather Durban. They invite diners at some of the city’s top restaurants to symbolically “share a meal” with a member of the city’s homeless community over this season of giving.

While dining, patrons will see a table talker / menu insert inviting them to join in the Social Meal Project. This will profile a named homeless person inviting the customers to symbolically share a meal with him or her: the customer can make a donation while paying their meal bill in various different ways. They can donate using a QR code, or via SMS, or by asking the waiter to add the amount to their bill.

“The Centre, which welcome up to 300 homeless people each day, estimates that it costs about R15 to provide breakfast, lunch, a hot shower and clean clothes to one person. We are asking people to pledge R15 (or multiples thereof) so they can “share” a social meal with a homeless person,”  The Denis Hurley Centre’s Raymond Perrier, said.

For more information, contact Raymond Perrier on tel: 031 301 2240 / 076 570 2497 or raymond@denishurleycentre.org. / Or visit www.denishurleycentre.org / restaurants who are interested in participating should contact socialmeal@denishurleycentre.org.