The Sandton Convention Centre donated the vast Exhibition Hall 2 to Stop Hunger Now for the day, as an estimated 67 corporates brought along 67 employees and clients to package 6700 meals in 67 minutes. A total of 1144 people per shift in four shifts of 17 groups of volunteers - resulting in a participation of 4576 people throughout the day - packaged meals in 52 production lines of 67 volunteers per shift. One production line per shift was set aside for public participation, giving the private sector the opportunity to get involved in this significant event.
Participating from 9-10am, a Tsogo Sun team consisting of staff from the Sandton node - the InterContinental Sandton Towers, Garden Court Sandton City, Garden Court Morningside and Sandton Convention Centre - along with head office personnel, took up the challenge to pack their share of the 6700 meals targeted for the early morning shift.
Commenting on Sandton Convention Centre's support of the event, executive director Mati Nyazema says, "It is a privilege for us to have supported an event that will reach so many people in their time of need. We salute the efforts of Stop Hunger Now and all the corporates and members of the public who came together to make this vision of feeding hungry learners a reality."
Says Rob Collins, chief marketing officer of Tsogo Sun, "It has been heartwarming to be involved in this far-reaching event, which has, at its heart, the spirit of Ubuntu to which Madiba was so committed."
Barry Mey, chief executive officer of Stop Hunger Now Southern Africa notes, "We are amazed at the hospitality, generosity and support that Tsogo Sun's Sandton Convention Centre has shown us. It is Stop Hunger Now's partnership with the venue that has made today's objective of 450,000 meals possible."
Stop Hunger Now Southern Africa, alongside the Department of Basic Education, will identify rural schools in the remotest regions of our country where learner hunger can be alleviated with the proceeds of the Mandela Day 2013 meal packaging event. The majority of these recipients are children that attend schools in the rural regions, including the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, North West and the North Western Cape.
For more information, go to www.stophungernowsa.org.
