Helping Those In Need has partnered with various NPOs around East London to build a massive tower of donated food and essential necessities to help members of the community who are in need.
Guardians of Hope, Vukani Embrace Faith and Hope, Emelda and Tommy Mc Kerry Foundation and Toy Run are all on board, using their various platforms to raise awareness for their initiative.
Helping Those in Need founder Marion Peake said the idea for the initiative came from the work that she had done through her pageantry.
“Power Towers is an initiative campaign during my reign as Mrs Eastern Cape 2024.
“Annually, queens from each province come together to build the biggest food tower for those in need in their communities.
“This year, I wanted to not just include our communities but also our NPOs and collaborate as we all have the same goal to curb hunger,” Peake said.
The aim of their project is to get as many donations of canned food, soup mixes, fruit and vegetables, baby food and products, cleaning products and toiletries as possible.
Guardians of Hope founder Elaine Brenkman said she hoped these items of food would be able to assist the community as we headed towards the festive season.
“So many people do not know that we have toddlers and need food for them too. This project is an opportunity to let the community know we also need your normal types of food like tin foods, rice, pastas and so on. We have been sharing the poster far and wide with the hope of getting in some food items,” Brenkman said.
Mark Mc Kerry, from the Emelda and Tommy Mc Kerry Foundation, hoped the donations would make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged communities.
“I am hoping to collect as many groceries as possible, so many people struggling in our disadvantaged communities.
“Every little bit will help. I am so privileged and honored to be a beneficiary of this project.
“If successful, this will mean so much to those in need. Just to make a difference in a few families’ situations means everything to me. Poverty is real and it destroys families.
“This project will make a huge difference in these recipients’ lives. It will bring joy and happiness and that is enough for me,” McKerry said.
The tower building event will take place on Saturday November 9. The venue is yet to be announced. Donations can be made at Irana Restaurant in Bera, and Pot’ O Curry in Beacon Bay. For info, visit any of the NPOs’ Facebook pages.