Companies join hands for food relief
As support for local soup kitchens continues to dwindle, one feeding scheme, in particular, is looking to continue its support of these kitchens with the help of donations.
The project was initiated by Peter and Gail Rimbault in early April when they became aware of the desperation in Knysna due to the effects of Covid-19. Having lived in Knysna for the last 20 years, Peter said they wanted to give back to the community.
“We wanted to help those in need and alleviate the suffering in the community since many had lost their jobs,” Gail said. “We approached Andrew Tully and Gavin Stassen, founders of Maxwell Natra, to come on board and help formulate the right product.” This led to the start of the Maxwell Knysna Feeding Scheme.
The main objective for the project, according to Gail, was to provide the community with a proper nutritional food source that would promote satiety while also providing enough nutritional support for the immune system.
“This saw the formulation of the Maxwell On The Go porridge by the teams at Maxwell in association with Rotary Knysna and appointed nutritionist Joan Huskisson,” Gail explained.
Laya Kiewiets from one of the Rheenendal soup kitchens.
“We’ve been getting donations and collecting funds from all over, wherever we could, to support the project,” Peter said. The funds go towards the production and delivery of the product.
Thus far, the feeding scheme has produced and distributed 16 000 meals through Rotary-approved soup kitchens as well as the Loerie Park feeding scheme, which is where the local homeless people still reside.
“We are currently in the process of producing another 16 000 meals which will be available for distribution during October,” Gail said, also pointing out that the future of the project is highly dependent on donations and community support.
Knysna Rotary’s Herb Hunter and Gavin Stassen from Maxwell Natra. Photo: Supplied
The Maxwell Knysna Feeding Scheme comes at a vital time for local soup kitchens, as last week, on 30 September, Knysna Rotary conducted its final soup kitchen delivery run. This brings to an end six months of efforts from Rotary to provide crucial support for local soup kitchens.
They will, however, continue to assist Maxwell in their current feeding scheme.
If you would like to help with the project, you can get in touch via the Maxwell Knysna Feeding Scheme on Facebook.
Knysna Rotary’s Herb Hunter and Maxwell Natra’s Gavin Stassen.
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Source: Knysna Plett Herald News