Birdhaven resident lends a helping hand to support restaurant industry workers

A charity organisation has lent an extra hand to restaurant industry workers in Birdhaven.

Lending Hands is an NGO founded by Sasha Cohen in 2020, at the beginning of the national lockdown, to help those in need. “I wanted to help as many people as I can during the lockdown period and beyond that as I have been very involved in charity work,” said Cohen.

The organisation started the restaurant initiative on June 28, to help those in the restaurant industry who would not be getting any income due to Covid-19 regulations that have forced some restaurants to remain closed. “As I am in the hospitality industry, I know how much the lockdown has hurt people that I work with and I really just wanted to help people in the restaurant industry as it is a horrible time for everyone,” she added.

After collecting donations of non-perishable goods, the organisations donated the goods to families of restaurant industry workers on July 3. The initiative collected 215 food parcels and 35 food vouchers that were were distributed to 215 restaurant industry workers.

Cohen told the Rosebank Killarney Gazette that she is thankful to each and every person who helped make the initiative a success. “I hope our country can return to normalcy soon and that we as South Africans come out of this time with more compassion for one another,” she said.

While the project has helped many restaurant industry workers, there are still so many others in need. If you would like to make a donation towards the initiative, please contact Sasha Cohen via email sashjade06@gmail.com

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