For the last 15 years, Tesslyn George from Pellsrus in Jeffreys Bay has dedicated her life to feeding people in need; however, with the number of meals per month increasing from 500 when she first started handing out food to 5 000, she is requesting assistance from donors to continue her good work.
George said that in 2009, as a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, she began assisting the church in offering meals to children staying on the streets.
However, since there was a great need for additional meals for the many underprivileged people in Pellsrus and surrounding areas, she said that the non-profit organisation Meals on Wheels approached her and suggested she register a soup kitchen to assist the community.
Familiar with the dire poverty in her area, George agreed, and for more than 15 years, she has continued to feed many people in need with a subsidy from Meals on Wheels. She said that for many years she offered meals to people in Pellsrus, Mandela Bay, Marina Drive, and Ocean View by standing at the busy corners of each area.
Unfortunately, since her panel van has been non-functional, she can no longer cater for these areas but has continued to provide meals to people from her home in Pellsrus on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“There is serious poverty in these areas, and I would love to hand out food throughout the week, but I do not have enough funds,” said George.
She further said that when she first began handing out meals in 2009, she catered for 500 meals per month, but this number has since increased to 5 000 meals a month. With the increase in numbers, George said that she cannot manage and needs assistance from individuals and organisations.
Despite the many challenges, she said that she continues to operate because there is a big need for soup kitchens in her community.
“I am praying that God will bring someone on my path to help me feed the many people in need. The community depends on the soup kitchen,” said George.
Even though her soup kitchen is open to all people in need, she said that her passion and main priority are children, the elderly, and the sick.
As a qualified home-based carer, George said that she helps the sick and bedridden people in her community. Beaming with pride, she said that she has also delivered four babies in the community.
In addition to her need for food supply donations, she said that she also needs adult disposable nappies for the four bedridden people in her community and a second-hand laptop to keep track of her soup kitchen.
For more information or to assist the soup kitchen, contact Tesslyn George at 082 740 0774.
