April marks Global Volunteer Month, a time to recognise and celebrate the incredible contributions of volunteers worldwide. It’s a time to shine a spotlight on those who selflessly dedicate their time, skills, and passion to creating positive change in their communities.
FoodForward SA is incredibly grateful to have the support of our corporate volunteers, who play a crucial role in helping us fight food insecurity across South Africa.
We are Stronger Together
Our volunteer programme offers corporates and individuals a unique, hands-on opportunity to learn about and contribute to our food banking model. During the two-hour session, volunteers are given an in-depth tour of our warehouse facilities, where they are introduced to the inner workings of our food distribution process. Our branch managers guide them through the entire food banking journey – from receiving donations, sorting food, and defacing (placing stickers over barcodes to prevent resale) to packing pallets and boxes for distribution to our beneficiaries.
One of the key highlights of the volunteer programme is the chance to get involved in our Food Gardens Connect (FGC) initiative, which is run from our Cape Town office. Here, volunteers step into our food tunnel, where they can test their green thumbs by planting seeds that will eventually grow into seedlings. The seedlings are donated to our FGC beneficiary organisations (BOs), who plant and care for them. Once the produce is ready for harvest, FoodForward SA offers a buy-back guarantee, paying them cash for their produce, which is redistributed across our BO network.
Why Volunteer with FoodForward SA?
Volunteering with FoodForward SA provides a deeper understanding of the critical role food banking plays in addressing food insecurity. Volunteers participate in the process of preparing food for vulnerable communities across South Africa. It’s also an opportunity to directly contribute to the solution.
If your company offers an employee volunteer programme, this is a perfect opportunity to get involved. Not only will your team gain valuable insight into the food banking process, but they’ll also be making a meaningful difference in the lives of those who need it most.