Our OEC Foundation Food Security Programme Has Three Main Objectives
Our Food Security programmes include (1) Emergency Food distribution programme, with which we have had a wealth of experience, and (2) Food Banks and Food Parcel Distribution programme geared to feeding up to five family members for an entire month. Alongside this, we are (3) Developing a template for Food Garden establishment to enable communities to make use of open ground in their areas, producing their own food, regaining a degree of honour and independence in the process.
OEC Emergency Food Distribution
To date, the Foundation has been focussing on the urgent aspect of food provision via monthly food distribution events. Designed as somewhat of a social event, the object is to knit the community together as well as integrate OEC volunteers into the communities’ social and cultural spirit. It is important for the Foundation to listen, and be aware of, community issues and needs, and the barometer of emotion from the people. Our assistance has increased tenfold, our latest event positively affecting over 1000 people in camps for the internally-displaced.
We have also designed a local Soup Kitchen programme that enables us to collaborate with volunteers in the communities across Africa to setup, manage and run Soup Kitchens.
OEC welcomes donors that can either make provisions and foodstuffs available, contribute to logistics or facilitate these through monetary donations,
OEC Food Bank & Parcel Distribution
Our next target of focus is on the collection of both funds as well as material donations for distribution of food parcels to family groups, the usage duration of which being a month at a time.
It costs US$165 per food parcel to feed a family of five for thirty days – two adults and three children, or three adults and two children – the mean breakdown of families in camps in Africa.
Donors may take the form of large organisation /bulk food supply or financial philanthropy, or individual sponsorship of food parcels.
Standards to which OEC food parcels conform:
· Food parcels are pre-assembled and ready-to-distribute.
· Food types are determined by beneficiaries’ food habits (kosher, halaal & geographically-specific ingredients).
· Food types are also determined by the intervention timeframe.
· All food parcel contents must be free from culturally-restricted components.
· The impact in terms of availability and prices on the local, national or regional markets are carefully studied prior to purchasing large quantities.
· Specifications for food items vary according to national regulations. Food importation is always subject to national authority approval, based on national specifications. The specifications must be adapted to each context.
· The standards listed in the latest edition of the Codex Alimentarius apply for all food-product aspects, including packaging, unless otherwise specified.
· Food products must be fit for human consumption and be of sound, fair and marketable quality.
· The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (amendment to the Convention on Biodiversity) requires that exporters and producers indicate whether food items may contain GMOs (genetically modified organisms) or not.
· In addition, foodstuffs must exhibit use-by dates and fall well within these at the time of receipt by OEC – a 2-year minimum shelf-life expiry date on date of delivery.
· The name of product, production and expiry dates and the fact that it is free from culturally restricted components, must be on all cartons and individual wrappers/boxes/can/containers).
· Individual product must be market with:
– product name
– list of ingredients
– list of nutritional values
– free from culturally restricted components
– net weight in metric measure
– date of production printed or stamped on the packaging
– minimum durability date, declared as “best before” printed or stamped
· In addition, foodstuffs must exhibit use-by dates and fall well within these at the time of receipt by OEC – a 2-year minimum shelf-life expiry date on date of delivery.
· Packing – carton dimensions should match the contents exactly. Empty spaces are avoided or filled to prevent the carton from being crushed during transport.
WOULD LIKE TO JOIN IN SERVICE! HOW CAN I HELP?
1. Donate Food Items For Food Parcels. Food Parcels include:
· beans, red kidney
· beef stock cubes
· beef, corned, canned
· flour
· garry/maize meal
· jam, smooth apricot
· milk, powder instant
· oil, cooking
· rice
· tomato sauce, canned
· vegetables, mixed tinned
· salt, iodated
· sugar, white
· teabags, tagless
· tomatoes chopped, tinned
· yeast, instant sachets
It costs US$270 per food parcel to feed a family of five for thirty days – two adults and three children, or three adults and two children – the mean breakdown of families in camps in Africa
2. Make a monetary donationso we can purchase needed items
3. Refer families in need to sign up for Food packs via the form below
Do you need or know anyone that needs assistance with food?
Submit details below and one of our representatives will make contact!
Address: 113 2nd Street, Wynberg, Sandton 2090, Johannesburg, South Africa
Cell Number: +27 71 800 1631
Email Address: info@oecfoundation.org
Reporting
In OEC’s endeavours to remain transparent, we make it a moral obligation to revert to each of our donors, no matter how small, with confirmation of aid delivery to the intended disenfranchised communities. We are thus committed to a comprehensive, detailed reporting structure and, in that way, donors can be assured that their assistance arrives where it is intended.
Public Relations
Corporate donors seeking branding opportunities, media coverage and goodwill in terms of corporate responsibility are welcome, subject to the preservation of the privacy and dignity of OEC’s beneficiaries.
Invitation to Attend Our Events
Potential donors and stakeholders are cordially invited to attend our events to meet the OEC team and experience the warmth and levity that arises in our beneficiary communities. Simply contact us to be included.