Ladles of Love

Chartered Client Claire Claasens firmly believes that if you have been blessed in life, you must support those less fortunate, and it’s a motto she has always lived by. For three and a half years (before Covid), she volunteered at one of the local schools in Vredehoek. Four mornings a week, she would assist in making breakfast for four hundred pupils, ensuring they got one balanced meal a day.

When Covid hit, and schools closed, Claire began assisting an organisation called Ladles of Love, something she still does today at the age of seventy-seven. Twice a week, she makes sandwiches that she delivers to a central depot and are then distributed in the community.

In six years, Ladles of Love has grown from serving seventy meals at their soup kitchen to one of the most prolific food charity organisations in South Africa. Today, they support numerous other community kitchens, schools, social enterprises, and NPOs with much-needed groceries and other goods, allowing them to reach out further and touch the lives of the vulnerable who need it now more than ever. They recently expanded and currently serve the communities in Cape Town and Gauteng.

Ladles of Love provides numerous opportunities for people to get involved. One way is through their Feed The Soil programme. Feed The Soil is a programme in which compost is made from household organic waste. Feed The Soil addresses the need for “zero-landfill” food waste and the need for Community Farmers to enrich their soil. This helps them grow better and more nutritious produce. You actively form part of their new urban farming ecosystem by purchasing and using their Food Waste Kit for R200.

People can also support the organisation through their sandwich campaign, by donating groceries or by actively volunteering. There is something for everyone.

If you would like more information about Ladles of Love, please visit their website.

Do you have something that you are doing to give back to society, or are you passionate about an organisation or cause you would like to share with us? We always love sharing your stories, so please email us if there is something you would like us to feature.