Kaya 959 Reporter
The People’s Pantry runs an innovative community swop shop where communities who don’t have enough money to buy food can do so in a way that differs from how most people interact with major grocery stores and supermarkets on a daily basis.
Residents who donate recyclable plastics, carton boxes, and tins earn points that can be redeemed at The People’s Pantry swop store.
The People's Pantry is now open! Whether you're in need of basic necessities or want to donate, we'll be here at 1101 Bryden Rd (entrance in back) for everyone who needs it! If you can't donate and want to help out, spread this post far and wide! pic.twitter.com/PsUtDWq7tG
— FIRST Collective (@F1RSTCollective) December 10, 2021
The initiative took root alongside 8 Community Kitchens with a collective objective to supplement the Johannesburg-based communities composed of Lorentzville, Bezuidenhout Valley and Troyeville.
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Point of View with Phemelo Motene spoke to Sandra van Oostenbrugge – The People’s Pantry director about this important initiative.
Oostenbrugge says the initiative to start the organisation was based on the community coming together and making a difference.
“The People’s Pantry is actually an organisation that started by a community coming together to make sure that people have food to eat during the COVID lockdown when we were told to be at home, and not come to work. Many people from the community where I stay had the realisation that many people the issue of food insecurity came arised during this period.”
“People have always struggled in the community I live in to secure food, it is an urban community, it’s a low-income community, it was really a community coming together and asking what can we do together, and that resulted in soup kitchens and the distribution of food parcels and the organisation I have now wouldn’t be standing if it wasn’t for people looking at each other and asking what can we do,” says Oostenbrugge.
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