Ladles of Love all set to serve

The Ladles of Love team is hard at work preparing for Mandela Day.

- FOUZIA VAN DER FORT

The national non-government organisation is offering volunteers the opportunity to come and stuff toys; colour in books and charts; plant some seeds; or fill a jar of hope for early childhood development (ECD) centre pupils, at the DHL Stadium, in Cape Town and Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, in Johannesburg, on Friday July 18.

Founder and chief executive officer of Ladles of Love, Danny Diliberto, said that they believe that every plate of healthy food has the power to change a life.

"Mandela Day reminds us that we all have the ability to uplift our communities through volunteerism," he said.

Mr Diliberto said that this year they were inviting people to buy tickets and through acts of kindness, make items that support early childhood development by giving small children hope and a healthy start in life.

Volunteers at the Cape Town Stadium can also make their mark on a canvas curated by Australian street-style artist and muralist Hans Bruechle, also known as Handbrake.

On Thursday, July 3, Atlantic Sun went behind the scenes with the team of professionals preparing to host more than 12 000 volunteers at Cape Town Stadium.

Ladles of Love has grown exponentially since the Covid-19 pandemic, in March 2020, and has served more than 48 million meals to people in need.

Today, the organisation focuses on nurturing, nourishing, and growing over 7 500 young children at preschools in underserved communities.