SOUTH AFRICA – FoodForward SA, the largest food redistribution organisation in South Africa, has received a US$100,000 donation from the GE Foundation, to provide immediate relief to South Africa’s communities in KwaZulu-Natal who were displaced following disastrous flooding due to heavy rainfall sustained in April.

The support was issued by the independent charitable organization as it marked Mandela Day, celebrated annually on 18 July, in honour of Nelson Mandela.

The donation will enable Food Forward SA to provide an estimated 4,800 people in the flood zones with one meal per day for three weeks.

“We are proud to once again work with FoodForward SA and help South African families in the region continue the road to recovery,” said Linda Boff, President, GE Foundation, and Vice President, GE.

In addition to the organization’s donation, GE employees can support relief efforts through the Matching Gifts Program.

The GE Foundation created the concept of a corporate matching gift program in 1954. Today, the program continues to serve as an important element of the Foundation’s portfolio, with gifts matched in 2021 totaling US$6.2 million.

“South Africa hosts GE’s largest employee base on the continent and has become a key partner in GE Foundation programs such as Next Engineers.

“Addressing hunger is critical in the wake of the recent flooding and I’m proud that the GE family is supporting our country in this time of need,” said Nyimpini Mabunda, President of GE Southern Africa.

FoodForward SA is an important GE Foundation partner. In 2021, the GE Foundation donated US$100,000 to provide immediate relief to South Africa’s communities experiencing food insecurity due to the ongoing economic and social challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

FoodForward SA recovers quality surplus food from retailers, manufacturers, and farmers and redistributes this food to registered, vetted beneficiary organisations that serve the poor.

They are part of a global movement focused on alleviating hunger and reducing the environmental impact by diverting quality surplus food. 

With operations in all nine provinces, FoodForward SA is the largest food distribution non-profit organisation in South Africa and is well-positioned to address food insecurity at scale.

Andy Du Plessis, Managing Director at FoodForward SA says, “We are honored to receive this grant from the GE Foundation, which will help us address the immediate need for hunger relief in the KwaZulu-Natal region.

“Corporate and individual partners such as the GE Foundation are key for us to support cost-effective solutions to combat hunger in underserved communities and strengthen our efforts to provide impactful change.”

GE’s Disaster and Humanitarian Relief program responds to major global disasters and humanitarian crises, drawing on GE’s people, technology, and other resources to reduce suffering and hasten recovery.

In 2021, the GE Foundation’s philanthropic contribution to disaster relief totaled US$2 million, which continued to support the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic and fund support for disaster and humanitarian crises worldwide.

Recently, GE and the GE Foundation donated US$4.5 million in medical equipment and humanitarian relief to support Ukraine and neighboring countries impacted by the war.

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