10  June 2021

It’s harvest time at the Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital’s food garden in Mitchells Plain and almost 50kg of organic produce from this garden is being used by the Shoprite Mobile Soup Kitchen to feed community members in Wesbank and Khayelitsha.

Freshly harvested cabbage, spring onions, spinach, onions, celery and leeks was delivered to the Mobile Soup Kitchen stationed at Shoprite Parow Park and incorporated into the nutritious soup that will be served at the Vlottenburg Community Centre in Wesbank and the Sinethemba Community Organisation in Khayelitsha.

“It is heartening to know that our garden’s crops are helping to supply many more people with nutritious meals. This motivates us to take even better care of the garden so that we can continue to have a positive impact in our community.”

- Tony Khulule, the food garden’s Production Manager

Fighting hunger sustainably is a major focus for the Shoprite Group, which supports more than 135 community food gardens across South Africa, including the one at the Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital.

Through its support of food gardens, the Group fosters long-term food security and it generates livelihood opportunities.

“These gardens now have the opportunity to supply our fleet of Shoprite Mobile Soup Kitchens with surplus fresh produce on a monthly basis.”

- Lunga Schoeman, Shoprite Group CSI Manager

The Shoprite Group’s extensive hunger relief programme all started with the Mobile Soup Kitchens which have been serving vulnerable communities across South Africa for almost 15 years. Since the start of the national lockdown, the Shoprite Mobile Soup Kitchens have served over 5.5 million meals at more than 6 400 organisations.