The Wendywood and Morningside Manor Community Action Network (CAN) are feeding thousands of needy Joburg residents every week. And they are doing it out of their own pockets for the most part.
"We have since lockdown, as three separate suburb areas from South Road all the way down to Woodmead, each Thursday provided soup, sandwiches, dry soup packs, fruit, toys, clothes, educational items, kitchenware, etc to many beneficiaries - all through the support of only our suburb community members," says Sharon Lefkowitz.
They are also supporting supporting various orphanages and child care centre’s in Alexandra, Marlboro Gardens, Sandton and other areas. At Banakekeleni orphanage in Alexandra, the group supplies 50 children with sandwiches and soup; at Thuthuzela orphanage in Alexandra the supply sandwiches and soup to 70 children and at Just One Child orphanage in Morningside Manor there are 7 teenagers who they provide the same for.
Some of the other palces they assist with sandwiches and soup include Hearts of Hope orphanage in Wendywood, Ponelepele Child Centre in Alexandra, Pro Labore Dei Child Centre in Alexandra, Innisfree Park informal settlement and Thabotona Primary School in Kathlehong.
In total, the group provides 2 257 children with 2256 sandwiches or 230 loaves of bread and 375 litres of soup and one fruit per sandwich.
Each Thursday they hand out food, soup, sandwiches, clothes, educational items, books, toys etc. at their drop off points.
Thi Mandela Day, Wendywood and Morningside Manor CAN is challenging the public to give back by donating 67:
* Sandwiches
* Dry soup packs
* Pieces of Fruit
* Tins of food
* Kids stationery or activity packs or even 67 copies of a worksheet ( message Sharon for details and examples)
* minutes of your time to:
- reading a Kidz book on video or voice message so we can send to our orphanages to watch/listen to
- teaching others a skill like knitting, crocheting, sewing, beading, quilting, tiling and brick laying or putting a business plan together (the group is desperate to do this at Innisfree Park informal settlement if the Covid-19 lockdown regualtions allow)
* Donating R67 (in any multiple) to CAN to help feed the over 1 000 children and 1 000 adults that they have been supporting during lockdown
All contributions can be delivered to CAN's Wendywood address. WhatsApp Sharon for the address details on 0825531708, or for bank details if you want to contibute in cash.