On Friday 18 July 2014 we will celebrate a world-renowned legend’s birthday for the first time since his passing. As spearheaded by former president Nelson Mandela himself, the day calls for citizens of South Africa to donate 67 minutes of their time by giving back to the community. We rounded up five food-related ways to get involved this year. (Tweet @Eat_Out using the hashtag #eatout67 to tell us what good deeds you’ve done on Mandela Day.)

1. Pack hampers with Foodbank SA

Take part in FoodBank SA’s hamper packing events at their warehouses. Enter a team of friends, colleagues or family and pack hampers with personalities like Bryan Habana and Siba Mtongana.  In Cape Town: 110 Gunners Circle, Cape Town Market, Gunners Circle, Epping 1. In Johannesburg: Route 24, 50 Herman Street, Meadow Dale, Unit C9 & 10, Johannesburg. For more information, email Foodbank on info@foodbank.org.za or call 021 531 4611.

You can also collect dry foodstuffs and donate it to Foodbank SA in the days leading up to Mandela Day. Get your office, group, school or congregation involved and collect dry foodstuffs (samp, beans, maize, soup mix and pasta).

Help out at Habitat for Humanity

2. Volunteer at Stop Hunger Now SA to pack food parcels for crèches

Stop Hunger SA invites corporate organisations, groups and individuals to  to volunteer at Canal Walk Shopping Centre in Cape Town to help assemble meal packages for children at crèches around the country. (Packs contain soy, rice, mixed vegetables and a vitamin-rich supplement.) Single contributors can register to volunteer and those who are able to make a large contribution can sponsor one or more packaging assembly lines for R9000 and a team of up to 25 members to assemble the meals. The 250 000 meals packaged will feed 1 700 learners three meals per week during the school term. Get more information and register online at http://www.stophungernowsa.org/. Century Boulevard, Century City, Cape Town, 021 705 6278.

3. Plant a vegetable garden at your home or workplace

Lead SA http://www.nelsonmandela.org/news/entry/lead-sa-to-focus-on-food-security-this-mandela-day has partnered with various organisations to facilitate Mandela Day events where members of the public will be taught the skills needed to plant and maintain their own vegetable gardens. These organisations include Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ), the African Children’s Feeding Scheme (ACFS) as well as the Dis-Chem Foundation. The Mandela Day events will take place on Friday 18 July 2014 in several areas across Johannesburg, including Midrand, Eldorado Park, Jabavu, Meadowlands, Orange Farm, Naledi and Zola. Volunteers will be taught gardening skills including planting techniques, container gardening and pest control. For more information on food gardening tips as well as how you can take part in these and other Mandela Day events, please visit www.leadsa.co.za or contact Tshiamo Ndlovu (Gauteng) on 011 506 3545 or 082 844 6316 or Michelle Barnard (Western Cape) on 021 446 4801 or 083 965 3755.

4. Help out at a local soup kitchen or feeding scheme

Why not contact feeding schemes across the country and find out what sort of ingredients and help they need? Once you’ve gone shopping, drop your contributions off and spend some time helping either in the kitchen or delivering/handing out the food to the underprivileged. Here are some starting points:

Johannesburg

• African Children’s Feeding Scheme (011 839 2630, bequests@acfs.org.za)
• Rokpa Gauteng Soup Kitchen (011 614 1948, johannesburg@kagyu.org.za)
• Soul Provider Trust (082 892 2222, brent@mysoulprovider.org)

Cape Town

• Douglas Murray Home in Retreat (021 712 2146, info@douglasmurray.co.za)
• Little Angels (021 785 4049, jp@littleangels.co.za)
• Visit http://www.capetown.at/NGOS/homeless.htm for more non-profit organisations in the city.

Durban

• Streetwise (031 703 2666, streetwise@yebo.co.za)
• Bridges of Hope (084 299 02202, bridgesofhope@webmail.co.za)

5. Help out at Habitat for Humanity

Get a group of people together and volunteer to build houses in 34 communities across South Africa. Habitat for Humanity South Africa provides opportunities for volunteers to give of their time, sweat and energy to work side-by-side with homeowner families to build their homes. Click here to sign up. (If you’re unable to help out physically, you could provide a nutritious meal to those who will be doing the work.)

More ways to give back anytime

StreetSmart SA
This organisation partners with restaurants across South Africa to raise funds for street children. Restaurants displaying a StreetSmart card can add a voluntary R5 donation to patrons’ bills. (Patrons can donate more too.) Each cent raised is donated to selected beneficiaries in that area. Find a participating restaurant near you.

Khayelitsha Cookies

Khayelitsha Cookies hires previously unemployed women from Khayelitsha and provides them with a vital, long-lasting skill set. The cookies can be found in the biscuit aisles of Pick n Pay and Spar grocery stores in the Western Cape.