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Weekly meals for families and seniors in Mthatha

Help keep a free food pantry open for families and seniors in Mthatha.

🇿🇦 Eastern Cape, South Africa1,237 views
Vikash C. Fourie
Email verifiedAddress verifiedNational ID verifiedPhoto verified
Mthatha
Since 2020, our volunteer team has run Open Hands Pantry every Saturday from the back of a borrowed garage. We started with 9 families, and now we feed 301 each week. Donations have dropped by about 60% this rainy season, while the line has grown every single week. We rely on volunteers - 7 of us - and keep no salaries or overhead. I buy staples at wholesale prices at the Mthatha market and keep every receipt. Each $10 feeds a family of four for a week. I'll post the weekly shopping receipts and a photo of the shelves each Sunday. Where the $700 goes: • Rice, beans, flour and oil (wholesale): $310 • Fresh vegetables and fruit: $220 • Baby formula and diapers: $95 • Refrigeration and electricity: $75 Glad we found this place.
#food-pantry#hunger#volunteer-led#food

Updates from Vikash

  1. Small update. $96 so far, we've booked the dates and paid the deposit.

  2. Quick update: $136 raised so far (19%). the plan for refrigeration and electricity is now scheduled. Receipts coming as soon as I have them.

  3. We're at 55% thanks to 11 of you. the first invoice got paid this week. More news soon.

Donations

RecentTop gifts
  • Anonymous 🇦🇺 · $5
  • Panagiotis Kostas Alexiou 🇬🇷 · $10
  • Rohit Bhide 🇮🇳 · $20
  • Gabriel C. Vásquez 🇨🇴 · $20

    “Wish I could do more. Hope the December deadline works out. - Bogotá”

  • Maryam Hiba Badawi 🇪🇬 · $66

    “Every little bit. Only $66 but hope it helps. - Cairo”

  • Maliha Sabina Khatun 🇧🇩 · $15

    “Thought of Vikash all day after reading this. - Comilla”

  • Nada Rahma Khoury 🇪🇬 · $100
  • Alyona Polina Alexeev 🇷🇺 · $51
  • Flávio Jorge Alves 🇧🇷 · $30
  • Faith W. Kelley 🇺🇸 · $10

    “Sending love. - Mobile”

  • Daniela Raffaella Colombo 🇮🇹 · $11
  • Lorena J. Medina 🇺🇸 · $5
  • Kelly Francisca Ferreira 🇧🇷 · $30
  • Rakesh C. Shukla 🇮🇳 · $50

Reviews

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Questions & comments

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  • Okechukwu Segun EkwuemeQuestionPhoto verified

    is there anything that isn't money that would help Vikash?

    • Vikash C. FourieOwnerAnswerAddress verifiedID verifiedPhoto verified

      Thank you. If you're in Mthatha I'll say if something practical comes up. For now sharing this is great.

  • Henrique Anderson Marques

    wishing you the best, Vikash. Great idea, hope you get there. My daughter saw me on my phone and now she wants to give her pocket money. Thinking of Mthatha.

    • Henry M. StewartQuestion

      how is Vikash doing now?

      • Imran Yasir Jatoi

        Stay strong, Vikash. Your post was clear and honest. Please keep us posted. Blessings.

        • Sebastian C. Kelley

          Keep going, Vikash. Gave what I could, wish it was more. My late mom used to say help given quietly counts double. Thinking of Mthatha.

          • Mansi D. Joshi

            Thinking of you, Vikash. Hope the build day goes well, wish I lived closer. I have a 10 year old who wants to send good wishes too.

            • Ji-yeon Ye-eun Ku

              stay strong, Vikash. Hope you get there. Don't lose heart. A few weeks ago I was in a hole too and it changed faster than I expected. God bless.

              • Bello Obinna Afolabi

                Thanks for sharing this, Vikash. Looking forward to the next update. The breakdown of costs made it easy to trust

                $423 raised of $700

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