Three local women-led organisations have received food hampers from Pick n Pay asap! customer donations, with additional support from Pick n Pay’s Feed the Nation Foundation.

In celebration of Mandela Day last month, thousands of Pick n Pay asap! customers generously donated groceries to communities in need. Pick n Pay store teams across South Africa visited various organisations to deliver food items, with three women-led or women-focused organisations in Cape Town selected for special recognition during Women's Month in August.

On Thursday, 1 August 2024, Pick n Pay asap! donated bags of groceries to Philisa Abafazi Bethu (isiXhosa for “Heal Our Women”) Women and Family Centre, a Steenberg-based organisation dedicated to combating gender-based violence. Additionally, a R10,000 gift card was presented from the Feed the Nation Foundation, which focuses on fighting hunger and food insecurity in underserved and vulnerable communities.

Lucinda Evans, founder of Philisa Abafazi Bethu, has been steadfast in her commitment to supporting and empowering women and children in Lavender Hill, Cape Town. The centre, which started in the Evans family home in 2008, offers vital services such as counselling, legal assistance, and emergency shelter for victims of gender-based violence. In 2020, the centre moved to its current location in Steenberg, expanding its reach to include areas like Grassy Park and Retreat.

Philisa Abafazi Bethu's programs include feeding programs, food gardens, senior citizens protection programs, youth programs, an after-school program, an emergency GBV safehouse for women, children, and LGBTQIA individuals, and the Rene Roman Child Search and Rescue group.

“This is our first grocery donation in the last 16 years,” says Evans. “Pensioners from Constantia Place Retirement Village generously accumulate some of their pension every month to donate R15,000 quarterly, which helps us buy a month’s supply of pantry staples.” The centre also collaborates with various sponsors to cover everyday expenses.

Philisa Abafazi Bethu feeds 292 seniors three times a week and 120 children weekly through its after-school and youth programs. It also runs an outreach program in Capricorn Harmony Road, feeding around 300 Malawian women weekly. “A big thank you to Pick n Pay again for everything today,” adds Evans.

"We strive to address immediate food needs and work on long-term solutions through Feed the Nation, ensuring communities have the resources they need to thrive. The Pick n Pay asap! platform is a powerful tool that empowers customers to make a positive impact effortlessly. Thanks to their generous support, we were able to do even more for deserving organisations this year. The generosity of our customers and the dedication of local leaders like Lucinda Evans inspire us to continue our mission of supporting vulnerable communities across South Africa,” says Vaughan Pierce, head of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) at Pick n Pay.

Pick n Pay asap! customer donations will also be delivered to St George’s Home for Girls and Sinothando Safety Home, and each will receive a R7,500 Pick n Pay gift card from Feed the Nation Foundation