Warm hearts, full tums
Foodcorp has promised to aid the efforts of Cotlands' heart-warming work with the donation of 1300 Pieman's Pantry pies, once a week for an entire year, to the charity.
Pieman’s Pantry’s Mike Breydenbach (back row far left), Lisa Roets (back row middle) and Debbie Biljon (back row far right) share a moment with Jade Freedman from Cotlands and some of the children that Pieman’s Pantry have helped. Children (L to R): Ntsika Magengenene, Bianca Matthews, Bronwyn Matthews, Erynn van Heerden, Daniella Malinga and in the back row, Hleginwe Malinga.
Cotlands was founded in 1936 as a care centre for unwed mothers and their infants. It has evolved into a shelter for abused, abandoned, HIV positive, orphaned and terminally ill children from birth to fourteen years of age. Cotlands also has a paediatric AIDS hospice, the first of its kind in South Africa when it was created in 1996, offering specialised palliative care around the clock.
Cotlands serves communities in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the Eastern and Western Cape, helping more than 2000 families. Supplied care ranges from identifying at-risk children to end-stage care for children dying of AIDS.
Cotlands' Allison Gallo, Corporate Portfolio Manager, says the gift of Pieman's Pies will make a real difference not just to the charity's finances but more importantly to the quality of life of its young wards.
"The day after we received the pies, the children absolutely enjoyed their meal .... In fact, most of the children asked for more, which doesn't happen often. For many of these children, this is the first time they have ever had a pie, and one with real meat, as we cannot afford to supply our children with such meals.
"This is a fantastic donation and we are truly grateful to Foodcorp for their ongoing contribution," comments Gallo.
