At SA Harvest, we believe that restoring dignity requires more than food. It requires connection. In August, our Cape Town branch had the privilege of hosting The Star Foundation, an organisation whose mission to uplift communities mirrors our own.
Their visit began in our warehouse, the beating heart of our operations. Here, the team from The Star Foundation experienced the full journey of rescued food: how it arrives, how it is sorted, and how our staff make careful decisions to ensure it reaches those who need it most. They also witnessed a special moment, our team in action, packing Jewels of Change goody bags for Women’s Month. These gifts, small in size but immense in meaning, are a way of honouring the women at our beneficiary organisations who hold communities together every day.
The visit then moved beyond our walls. Alongside our COO, Ozzy Nel, and Beneficiary Liaison, Josey Zakhumba, The Star Foundation team travelled to one of our most remarkable partners: The Ark City of Refuge in Mfuleni.
Here, they were welcomed by Kenny, who shared the story of an organisation that has stood as a beacon of hope since 1992. The Ark is home to nearly 950 people, including women, children, and men who have experienced homelessness, abuse, or abandonment. Through shelter, meals, clothing, counselling, education, work therapy, and life-skills programmes, The Ark helps people rebuild their dignity and prepare to return to society restored, equipped, and filled with potential.
For The Star Foundation team, the experience was more than a site visit. It was an immersion into the resilience and humanity of communities on the margins, and a chance to see how their mission aligns with ours.
The Star Foundation’s commitment to ubuntu, transparency, and impact is inspiring. Like SA Harvest, they believe that change happens when compassion meets action, when intentions are turned into real, tangible outcomes that improve lives.
We are deeply grateful for their visit, their curiosity, and their willingness to walk alongside us. Because the truth is, no one ends hunger alone. It takes collaboration, it takes shared vision, and above all, it takes heart.
Together, we are not just feeding people. We are restoring dignity, creating opportunity, and shaping a future where no South African is left behind.