Three Days a Week, One Shared Purpose

Turning rescued food into practical support for families

Every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, members of the Orphan Care Foundation collect, load and distribute food to vulnerable families and community organisations.

Thanks to the support of FoodForward SA, Woolworths and participating stores at Constantia Village and Steenberg Village, good food that can still nourish people is redirected to where it is needed.

The crates in this photograph tell only part of the story.

Behind every collection are OCF volunteers giving their time to collect the food, load vehicles, sort what has been received and get it into the hands of people who need it.

From collection to community

Much of the food we collect supports families in Westlake, where the majority of our community work takes place.

But need doesn’t stop at the boundaries of one community.

Where possible, food parcels also reach vulnerable people in Ocean View, Capricorn and other communities, while some of the food is shared with organisations that prepare soup and meals for larger groups of people.

It is a simple network of people helping people: businesses making food available, organisations coordinating its collection, volunteers doing the work and communities making sure it reaches those who need it.

More than a food parcel

For a household under financial pressure, receiving food can mean money is available for another essential expense — electricity, transport, school needs or simply getting through the remainder of the month.

For OCF, food security is therefore about more than filling a bag.

It is about dignity, reducing pressure on vulnerable households and making sure available food reaches people rather than going to waste.

Over the previous reporting year, our food support programme assisted approximately 40 individuals and their families each week and distributed an estimated 2,080 food parcels.

Thank you to the partners who make it possible

This work depends on collaboration.

We are deeply grateful to FoodForward SA, Woolworths, Constantia Village and Steenberg Village, and to the people who make these collections possible week after week.

And to the OCF members and volunteers who collect, carry, sort and distribute the food — thank you for continuing to show up.

Help us keep the food moving.

Whether through food donations, transport assistance, volunteering or financial support, there is a role for individuals and businesses wanting to help.

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