HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
This year The Hope Exchange will be running Feed5000 again as there has never been a greater need to give hope and serve those who are hungry and alone over the holiday season.
The 2020 Feed5000 initiative will be run in partnership with Ladles of Love and supported by RPJ Helping Hands, along with volunteers and donors to create and serve nutritious meals for those in need.
Feed5000 will run from 12th December through to 17th January at The Hope Exchange to provide essential services and meals to support the Service Dining Rooms (based in Canterbury Street) while they close for their annual break.
Although some of the main sponsors of the Service Dining Rooms continue their contributions, Feed5000 relies on volunteers and donations to ensure that up to 500 people in the CBD area (from Vredehoek to Seapoint) do not go hungry over this time.
Last year Feed5000 served 10,463 meals and aim to beat that this year with a target of 18,500 meals over an extended 37-day period. The need to increase the number of days and meals is a consequence of the growing homeless population, which has been further exasperated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
To do this the Feed5000 team needs:
- Financial donations to support buying and preparing food
- Volunteers to assist with serving, cooking, and running of the services each day
- Companies to get involved and sponsor a day
- To spread the word about Feed5000
About The Hope Exchange
The Hope Exchange provide essential services to the growing population of people living on the streets, many of whom are forced there by circumstance. These services include day-to-day basic needs like washing facilities, clothing, medical support, and ID services. Their main goal is to create contact points with homeless individuals and to support their individual social needs. Ultimately the goal is to provide a stepping-stone for their reintegration back into society, reuniting them with family and giving them the support they need to find employment and become self-sustainable once again.
The Hope Exchange is available for interviews: Stuart Mcleod (Chairman) and Warren Conrad (Board Member).
Possible news angles that can be explored:
- The report released by the Coalition to End Homelessness suggests that there are double the amount of homeless people originally thought and is now estimated to be 14,000.
- Growing number of homeless people due to economic impact/growing number of people in need of social support and the impact of Covid-19.
- The Hope Exchange’s long history of assistance to homeless people in Cape Town: it was founded in 1981.
Issued on behalf of THE HOPE EXCHANGE by:
Karen De Lorenzo – 084 513 0932 – Karen.delorenzo@gmail.com
Pieter Bruwer PR – 021 850 8761/083 776 1861 – Pieter@pieterbruwer.co.za
Contact: Sharnelle Cader
14A Roeland Street
071 899 7627
Sharnelle@thehopeexchange.org
www.thehopeexchange.org/2020-feed5000/
