Meals on Wheels in KuGompo City is facing the possibility of closing its doors as dwindling donations, rising food and fuel costs and mounting operating expenses leave the organisation with only enough food to feed vulnerable people for about two more weeks.
Based in Smartt Road, Nahoon, the organisation provides meals primarily to elderly people, while also supporting younger people through soup kitchen initiatives.
Service centre manager Jeni Campbell told the Go! on Tuesday the organisation had exhausted its financial resources after covering its expenses for August and was now uncertain how it would continue providing meals into September.
“We don’t have any more. I have paid everything for August.
“I’ve got enough food for two weeks for feeding people into September. I don’t know what we are going to do,” Campbell said.
Despite having to reduce its services because of a lack of funding, Meals on Wheels provided 6,681 meals last month.
Campbell said the organisation previously relied on food that could not be sold by retailers, but such support had become increasingly difficult to secure since the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Years before Covid we used to collect food that doesn’t sell, but unfortunately they don’t have that privilege any more,” she said.
The organisation now faces rising costs for food, fuel, vehicle maintenance, electricity and salaries for its nine employees.
Campbell said its fleet of vehicles was essential for delivering meals, while rising fuel and maintenance costs had placed additional pressure on limited resources.
Although the kitchen was converted to gas to help reduce electricity costs, the municipal account remains expensive.
“We are in a bad space. My hands are tied. I don’t know what to do,” Campbell said.
Meals on Wheels needs about R120,000 a month to cover meal distribution and general operating expenses.
At about R15 per meal, Campbell said even relatively small donations could make a meaningful difference.
“If someone could even donate R75, that could someone five meals a week. That’s far less than eating out,” she said.
The organisation has also used up its financial reserves to continue helping people as the cost of living has increased.
“It utilised all the funds we had as a back-up. Every expense has been used,” she said.
The need extends beyond elderly residents, with unemployed parents and younger people also struggling to afford basic necessities.
“We have people who have children, they’re unemployed and can’t afford basic needs,” Campbell said.
“It’s not the elderly that are hungry, also the young ones.”
She recalled an elderly Nahoon resident who would previously cycle to collect his meal but is now unable to ride his bicycle. Meals on Wheels has since started delivering his meals to him.
Campbell said she did not want to think about what would happen to beneficiaries if the organisation closed.
“I can’t think of an alternative organisation that can help because there are so many people who rely on us,” she said.
Meals on Wheels has a long history of serving disadvantaged communities.
The organisation was started by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1964, with the KuGompo City service centre being the first to open before branches were established across the country.
The organisation also played a vital role during the Covid-19 pandemic, when its team and volunteers prepared, cooked and delivered 500 meals three times a day to homeless shelters.
Campbell said the organisation’s survival has always depended on community support and was now appealing to residents, businesses and community organisations to help keep its doors open.
Fresh vegetables, starches such as rice, soya mince and beans are among the food donations urgently needed, while financial contributions, fuel and other assistance would also help.
“Please open your hearts and minds and empathy for your neighbour.”
For donations or assistance, contact Jeni Campbell on 084-844-8096 or email jeni@mealsonwheelsel.org.za.
