The sandwiches initiative forms part of the Group’s comprehensive Hunger Relief programme, which involves the donation of surplus food from all of its stores to hundreds of non-profit organisations feeding thousands of hungry people daily, as more than 13.8m people go hungry in South Africa every day.
The initiative also includes Shoprite’s Mobile Soup Kitchens, which reach vulnerable communities across the country every day and have already served more than 27m warm meals since inception in 2007.
The goup is mobilising its employee volunteers across South Africa to #ActForChange, in support of the initiative. All Shoprite and Checkers stores together with the group’s head office will be transformed into production lines from 18 July until the end of the month, where staff will spend 67 minutes of their normal workday preparing and packing sandwiches for local charities.
Neil Schreuder, MD at Shoprite said, “We’re inspired and motivated by Madiba’s many selfless acts to effect change in the communities in which we operate, not just on Mandela Day, but every day. This is why we are extending our 67,000 peanut butter sandwiches drive every month, for a year, in the spirit of making every day a Mandela Day.”
Customers can donate R5 or more to the Group’s #ActForChange fund at any till point in both Shoprite and Checkers stores nationwide. All funds collected will be donated to charities and feeding schemes working to fight hunger in local communities.
