Dear everyone,
Hereby we would like to post our first blog.
Today, we would like to introduce you to the family behind the scene, in other words the board of the Soup Kitchen. Currently, there are 9 members in the board and 17 volunteers.
The Chairperson Helmut Hartleb, he joined the Soup Kitchen for the first time in 2007. Someone asked him to go with them to feed the poor. When he saw the children asking for a piece of bread, with their big eyes, that was the moment he thought he could help. It is now 10 years ago when he started volunteering at the Soup Kitchen and now he is the Chairperson for already 6 years.
The Vice-Chairperson of the Soup Kitchen is Debra Harris. Together with her husband Steve they first got involved in the Soup Kitchen around 1999. Steve’s father had always taught him that where possible no one should have to go to bed hungry. This really impressed him and Debra and him have always tried to assist those around them wherever possible. In 2002 she joined the committee as Vice-Chairperson and together with the board members and dedicated volunteers, they strive to make a difference in the Ndlambe area. She always says: ‘We are not able to change the world but we can make a difference in our little part of the world and the Soup Kitchen is very involved in feeding the homeless, indigent and in particular children.’
The secretary of the Soup Kitchen is Marianne Field. Together with her husband she arrived in Port Alfred in August 2009. She fell in love with Port Alfred, the Kowie River, the Indian Ocean and the dunes. Apart from the potholes she finds Port Alfred idyllic, but then she became aware of all the beggars, the street children and the large numbers of people living in abject poverty. The Soup Kitchen was introduced to her and told her how it begun. In response to reports that children were eating paper at school to still their hunger, a church group started helping out. She heard that the Soup Kitchen was basically run by a group of caring volunteers and is well-runned. There was a genuine desire to help the impoverished in the community. She felt she would like to be involved in a purposeful way in the Community and chose the Soup Kitchen as she strongly believes in the main objective which is that everyone should have at least one square meal a day. Currently, she now has been part of the Soup Kitchen volunteers for the past 5 years and still impressed by the commitment of those who are involved.
Apart from these three-dedicated people you have: Ray, Hector, Luky, Sandi, Tony, Leon and Dot, who are members of the board. Together with the volunteers they work very hard to help as many poor people in the townships of Port Alfred and Bathurst. Currently, the Soup Kitchen is serving 3000 meals a week and is hoping to serve more people in the future.
"A day lived without showing love for others is a day not worth living." Mother Theresa
