For many South Africans facing food insecurity, a grocery donation can mean the difference between going without a meal and having enough to share around the table. 

This Mandela Day, Checkers Sixty60 and Meals on Wheels are calling on customers to support communities in need by donating groceries via the Sixty60 app from 15 to 18 July. Checkers Sixty60 will match every donation and refund your delivery fee. 

Now in its fifth year, the partnership has delivered more than R3.3 million in grocery donations, helping Meals on Wheels support communities beyond Mandela Day. With the need for hunger relief continuing to grow, the challenge is now on to exceed last year’s contribution and provide even greater assistance. 

Previous Mandela Day donations enabled Meals on Wheels to respond to needs identified through community consultations. Here are two examples of the project’s impact over the past year:

• In Beaufort West, the organisation established a temporary nutrition programme that served nearly 10 000 meals and distributed 386 food parcels to vulnerable households. 
• In Britstown, donations helped a centre for people living with physical and intellectual disabilities secure more than a month’s worth of essential food supplies, reducing operating costs and freeing up resources for specialised care and support services. 

“Mandela Day reminds us of the power of collective action. By working together with Meals on Wheels, and thanks to the generosity of Checkers Sixty60 customers, we can turn individual acts of kindness into meaningful support for communities countrywide.” 

- Sanjeev Raghubir, Chief Sustainability Officer at the Shoprite Group

Shoppers can donate from anywhere in the world by opening the Checkers Sixty60 app or website, selecting one of the five designated Meals on Wheels collection points as your delivery address, and placing your order. A dedicated ‘Deliver Kindness’ section within the app highlights the most-needed non-perishable grocery items.

The collection points include:

• Meals on Wheels Community Services Bloemfontein, Old Thaba Nchu Road, Bloemspruit, Bloemfontein
• Meals on Wheels Community Services, Louis Road, Orchards, Johannesburg
• Meals on Wheels Community Services E.C., Jarvis Road, Berea, KuGompo City
• Meals on Wheels Johannesburg Food Distribution Services, St. Francis of Assisi Church, Cavendish Road, Yeoville, Johannesburg
• Springs Mobiele Etes Gemeenskaps Diens/Meals on Wheels, Salt Avenue, Springs

“The support from Checkers Sixty60 and its customers has helped reduce pressure on our service centres by lowering grocery and operating costs, allowing us to focus more resources on the people who rely on us.  When customers choose to donate, they become part of something bigger – helping us put food on the table for families and ensuring support reaches communities long after Mandela Day has passed.” 

- Gershon Naidoo, Programmes Director at Meals on Wheels South Africa

Meals on Wheels operates 179 kitchens throughout all nine provinces in South Africa, collectively providing more than 200,000 meals daily. 

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