“A FOOD SECURE MAKERS VALLEY WITH A THRIVING AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM, IN A FOOD SOVEREIGN SOUTH AFRICA.”

“A FOOD SECURE MAKERS VALLEY WITH A THRIVING AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM, IN A FOOD SOVEREIGN SOUTH AFRICA.”

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About The People’s Pantry

The People’s Pantry (TPP) is a registered NPC that addresses urgent food insecurity challenges in the low-income communities of the Makers Valley in Johannesburg while also seeking to address longer-term issues related to the unjust food system, the environment, and community cohesion. In recognition of the fact that there is persistent and growing food insecurity in Maker’s Valley (comprised of the low-income communities of Bertrams, Lorentzville, Bez Valley, Troyeville and Judith’s Paarl).

1
tons food rescued
1
soup kitchens members
1
people fed yearly

Aims and objectives

To support a fairer and more sustainable local food system in Maker’s Valley, Johannesburg, and beyond.
To improve community food security by supporting local community kitchens to provide healthy food to community members in need.
We aim to achieve our aims through education, awareness campaigns, advocacy, and fostering community connections.
Through dialogue and workshops, we deepen people's grasp of the food system and their rights to nutrition and impart practical skills in food production and processing.
To promote environmental awareness and recycling through the community swop shop and other educational activities.

our projects

Discover how our initiatives intertwine food security, advocacy efforts, and climate justice work to create a more resilient and equitable future for all.

donate

Community recycling swop shop

At The People’s Pantry, our recycling swap shop rewards community members with points earned from recycling for essential food and hygiene items. By partnering with SA Harvest and Nutri Pick, we offer surplus food and fresh produce. This initiative promotes recycling, reduces food waste, and serves around 170 community members weekly, with numbers growing steadily.”

food everyday

Community Kitchens

The People’s Pantry sustains six community kitchens by supplying rescued food, cooking essentials, and skill-building opportunities through partnerships with organizations like Nosh, the South African Chefs Association, and Chefs with Compassion. These kitchens collectively serve approximately 500 individuals, including children, each week, ensuring access to nutritious meals for those in need.

Food preservation workshops

Through engaging food preservation workshops, TPP collaborates with community members to explore innovative ways of utilizing surplus food.

These initiatives aim to bolster food security, environmental sustainability, and income generation. By practicing diverse preservation methods such as pickling, fermentation, canning, and drying, we determine the most practical and effective techniques accessible to our community.

TPP YOUTH PROGRAM

Poverty and deprivation in childhood significantly impact the lives of children, undermining their access to health, education, future income-earning capacity, and social inclusion.

Despite all the technological, cultural and social advances of the last few decades, we have lost sight of this most basic fact: If children eat poorly, they live poorly,” Henrietta Fore, Former UNICEF Executive Director.

Children’s food choices are influenced by their environment and the broader food system. Our youth program provides diverse learning opportunities and resources, empowering children to shape their circumstances in three crucial ways:
1. Empower young individuals by educating them about the food system, their nutrition rights, and practical skills in food production, processing, and consumption.
2. Address persistent barriers to healthy eating beyond basic nutrition education
3. Foster a culture of health and wellbeing.

Invest

In order to maintain our current activities and move towards our future objectives, we rely on public and private investment. We encourage you to, by any means, invest in the local and national alleviation nutrition insecurity by allowing yourself to donate resources and/or partnering with us and our outreach programs. Should you wish to donate, please find our banking details and contact information below:

Bank: FNB

Name: The People’s Pantry NPC

Bank Account Number: 62924672852

Branch Code: 250655

SWIFT Code: FIRNZAJJ

Partners

In the Headlines

  • News 24 May 2021
  • Daily Maverick One Year Celebration April 2021
  • World Economic Forum April 2021
  • Reuters November 2020
  • Daily Maverick November 2020
  • Daily Maverick November Pt 2

Wishlist

Here are some things we routinely need support with

  • Gas and cooking oil for Kitchens’ activities
  • Electricity for TPP’s distribution space
  • Starch for the Kitchen (starch is locally popular in meals)
  • Transport (collections, deliveries and to come meet you!)
  • Internet access
  • Packing materials
  • Stationary and printing services
  • IT support (laptops, phones, digital camera)

Give of your time?

  1. Graphic Designers to help us make pretty things We need help to design the merch range for sale at marker days and through the week.
  2. Photographers, videographers and Writers to assist with getting our story out there.
  3. Legal and Accounting Services.

If you are able to contribute any of these items or your time, please hit us up

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