Chefs with Compassion reaches 5 million meal milestone and launches crowdfunding campaign to fight hunger and food waste

Johannesburg, South Africa - Chefs with Compassion, a non-profit organisation that represents the collaborative efforts of five founding organisations and over 30 kitchen hubs, has reached a significant milestone. The organisation has announced that they have served their 5 millionth meal to food vulnerable communities in South Africa. Since May 2020, Chefs with Compassion has worked tirelessly to rescue edible food that would otherwise go to waste, cook nutritious meals using the rescued food, and feed hungry people. This valuable work has been possible thanks to the support of an expansive network of around 30 organisations supported by volunteers, and through corporate donations and food rescue efforts.

Despite their incredible impact, Chefs with Compassion is facing an ongoing funding crisis. The organisation is appealing to corporate organisations, the private sector, and civil society to support them in their fight against hunger and food waste.

"With the help of our funding partners from the corporate sector who have supported our mission from the start, we have been able to remain in operation since the pandemic. However, our resources are running dry and additional sponsors are needed for Chefs with Compassion to continue this essential work moving forward," said Chairman James Khoza.

To ensure that Chefs with Compassion and its network can continue feeding those most in need and keep fighting the hunger crisis in South Africa, Chefs with Compassion has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Givengain - https://bit.ly/cwc-50000meals. The organisation is challenging South Africans to help them extend their impact from five million meals by another 50,000 by raising R500 000. Donations to the crowdfunding campaign are tax-deductible and will go towards supporting Chefs with Compassion's mission of fighting hunger and food waste in South Africa.

Chefs with Compassion has captured the hearts and minds of South Africans with its annual #67000litres for Mandela Day campaign, which champions the spirit of collective action. For the last three years, hundreds of chefs, culinary schools, home cooks, and community caterers have spent 67 minutes cooking for hungry South Africans all over the country on Mandela Day, resulting in over 980,000 cups of soup being served collectively. The #67000litres campaign is Chefs with Compassion’s biggest fundraising drive of the year and contributes towards its ability to continue feeding hungry people daily.

"We are proud to have served our 5 millionth meal, but the fact remains that the need for our services is greater than ever before. We are grateful for the support we have received from our funding partners and the South African public, but we still need additional support to continue our vital work,” concludes Khoza.

No amount is too small to make a difference. Members of the public who would like to support Chefs with Compassion through a recurring monthly donation can do so via their website on https://cwc.org.za/donate or via EFT to Chefs with Compassion, FNB account number 62852995269. Once-off donations can also be made through the Givengain crowdfunding campaign on https://bit.ly/cwc-50000meals.   

For more information on how to get involved or support Chefs with Compassion, please email info@cwc.org.za.

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ISSUED ON BEHALF OF CHEFS WITH COMPASSION. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT VANESSA NAUDE VIA WHATSAPP CALL ON 083 271 6000 or email vanessa@stratpr.co.za.

ABOUT CHEFS WITH COMPASSION

Chefs with Compassion is a collaboration of partners – individuals, companies, and organisations – who together rescue surplus food that would go to waste, donate it to kitchens where it is cooked, to feed the growing number of hungry people in food vulnerable areas. Chefs with Compassion was launched in May 2020 as a not-for-profit company in response to the Covid-19 humanitarian crisis, and aims to continue as long as the need can be met.

Chefs with Compassion’s mission is to Rescue | Cook | Feed:

• Rescue - 10,3 million tons of food goes to waste every year in South Africa. It’s a shocking fact - one-third of all the food produced in SA goes to waste - which is more than enough to feed every one of the 20 million people going hungry across the country. It is Chefs with Compassion’s mission to rescue and redirect as much of this perfectly good food as possible.
• Cook - Through its network of community cooks, caterers and compassionate chefs, Chefs with Compassion cooks nourishing meals for food vulnerable people.
• Feed – The third and final part of Chefs with Compassion’s mission is to ensure the cooked food reaches the people who need it most, through its approved beneficiary organisations.