Mandela Day is a significant day for South Africans, allowing everyone the opportunity to do good where you can. FoodForward SA’s Mandela Day Food-Packing event is our flagship initiative, where thousands of volunteers gather at our locations across the country to dedicate 67 minutes of their time, and help us sort, pack and prepare food for distribution to our beneficiary organisations (BOs).  This year was no exception.

After months of meticulous planning and preparation to ensure the event was both impactful and enjoyable, everything was set for a successful day on 18 July.

Rain Couldn’t  Dampen the Gees of Mandela Day

Despite the rain and grey skies in Cape Town, the volunteers showed up with remarkable enthusiasm. They streamed in at all our venues across the country, ready to get to work and make a difference. The excitement was palpable as they prepared to pack food that would support nearly one million food-insecure South Africans through our network of 2,500 beneficiary organisations.

The first of three sessions kicked off at 9:30 am at all our locations, and the atmosphere was electrifying. Some of the volunteers included FFSA Brand Ambassador Pete Goffe-Wood, former Miss SA Finalist Nande Mabala and 100 boys from Bishops Diocesan College who also collected and donated more than R10,000 to FoodForward SA.

Volunteers Pack 350 Tons of Food

The day was a tremendous success across all venues, with volunteers packing an impressive 350 tons of food, equating to 1.4 million meals.The enthusiasm was contagious, and the day highlighted that uniting for a common cause can further drive our mission toward a South Africa without hunger.

Thank you to all our sponsors, food donors, and volunteers for making the event a memorable success!

Visit our website and to our events page to view more highlights from the day.