Each year, on Mandela Day, we as South Africans receive a call to action to be a part of local and global change. Here, at Feed the Nation Foundation, we believe it is our mandate and responsibility to be a part of the solution to one of our nation’s urgent challenges - food insecurity. This need demands immediate response both individually and corporately.
The 18th of July is an annual opportunity to amplify our impact through partnership, mobilisation of volunteers and teams who will help to meet urgent, on-the-ground needs. Though, for us at Feed the Nation Foundation, Nelson Mandela Day is every day. The invaluable help of our funders and partners allows us to work daily towards our mission of alleviating widespread hunger in our most vulnerable communities.
On this Mandela Day, as we honour Madiba’s legacy, we are proud to be partnering and joining hands with initiatives run by FoodForward SA and Jenny Morris with the Salesian Institute Youth Projects (SIYP), along with our annual feeding campaigns. Our shared focus and missional alignment is a powerful reminder of the impact and power of corporate action.
Feed the Nation x FoodForward SA
FoodForward SA uses a simple and impactful model - recovering surplus edible food from various retailers and manufacturers for redistribution to vulnerable communities and the NPOs who serve in them.
This Mandela Day, Feed the Nation Foundation proudly supported FoodForward SA’s mission to distribute 500,000+ meals across the nation. With the help of volunteers and corporate partners like us contributing time, funding and manpower, FoodFoward SA ensured these meals reached those who need it most.
"Mandela Day is about more than giving - it’s about connecting with each other’s humanity,” says FoodForward SA Managing Director, Andy du Plessis. “Our partnership with Feed the Nation is an example of corporate-social synergy in action."
Together, we were able to pack hampers filled with nutritious and staple items, providing nourishment and helping to restore dignity to those experiencing lack.
Furthermore, we are proud to extend our partnership with initiatives like the Jenny Morris’s Mandela Day Soup & Sandwich Drive. Over the years, this annual initiative has left a significant footprint in the nation. With the collective vision of tackling the issue of food insecurity head on, we believe there can and will be scalable change when we work collaboratively and shoulder the responsibility of meeting and extinguishing the need.
At Feed the Nation Foundation, we recognise the importance of spotlighting and supporting businesses, organisations and individuals going beyond CSI compliance - who are choosing to lead from a place of genuine commitment and purpose.
We are grateful to our partners and funders who help us to drive meaningful change and continue to inspire unity and hope in our nation. Food insecurity will be tackled through the power of collaboration. Businesses and corporations must step-up to be a part of the solution - be it through cross-sector collaboration, volunteering or financial contribution. Thank you to all who joined us in making Mandela Day a catalyst for sustainable change and hope.
Join Us:
It doesn’t end with Mandela Day. Help us use the momentum of today to reach our goal and see change:
- Partner with us to build long-term food security in communities across South Africa.
- Follow us on LinkedIn to stay connected with our corporate impact stories and work across SA.
Donate here to help us feed more families:
Together we can Feed the Nation!
