Drakenstein Municipality Partners with Valcare for Covid-19 Food Security

Executive Mayor of Drakenstein Municipality, Alderman Conrad Poole, with City Manager, Dr. Johan Leibbrandt.

Valcare is excited to partner with Drakenstein Municipality in providing much-needed food relief to the most vulnerable communities in the area during this time.

The Municipality is contributing R1.8 million towards providing about 7200 monthly household food parcels or essential grocery vouchers to approximately 28 800 vulnerable beneficiaries in our communities.

Given the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Executive Mayor, Alderman Conrad Poole, and the City Manager, Dr. Johan Leibbrandt, have initiated this food security programme as a supplementary arm of the humanitarian support that they are providing.

CEO of Inceba Trust, Nielen Bekker; Alderman Conrad Poole, Executive Mayor of Drakenstein Municipality; City Manager, Dr. Johan Leibbrandt; Martin Venter, Chairperson of Valcare’s Board and Founder of Val de Vie Group of Companies; and Hein Koegelenberg, Founder and Director of Valcare and CEO of La Motte and Leopard’s Leap, at the food processing hub at Val de Vie Estate.

This Food Security Programme is well underway, and is running parallel with Valcare’s own Covid-19 Response Plan that has raised R2 180 946 so far, with a goal of raising R4 375 000 in total. Three of Valcare’s social investors, The Val de Vie Foundation, The Aslan Trust and the Hanneli Rupert Getuienis Trust, have made significant contributions toward the fund.

Collectively, the two food support programmes have helped 26 024 beneficiaries through the distribution of 5775 monthly household food parcels and vouchers, enabling an estimated 1 296 960 meals, thus far, after the first six weeks of operations.

We would like to express our gratitude to Valcare and the many individuals and organisations who are graciously giving of their time and resources. Our nonprofit partners are doing amazing work and we are proud to be working closely with them,” says Alderman Conrad Poole, Executive Mayor of Drakenstein Municipality.

More food support will be rolled out over the next few weeks and after much consideration and consultations, the programme will gradually transition into utilising mobile SMS food vouchers to provide support in a dignified, safer and more efficient way.

The household food parcels contain items that are enough to supplement a family of four for a month.

We realise that the need for food support in our communities is great, but with the help of private and public sector partners, like Drakenstein Municipality, we are making a difference through collaboration. It is an honour for Valcare to serve our community during this time, and to continue with our mission to activate and enable social change,” says Ivan Swartz, CEO of Valcare.

Ivan Swartz, CEO of Valcare with Alderman Conrad Poole and Dr Johan Leibbrandt at Val de Vie Estate where the food parcels were packed by volunteers.

For more information about Valcare’s Covid-19 Response Plan, click here.

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