PICS: Belhar couple's selfless community service brings festive cheer
Sharon MacDonald has been having her soup kitchen for 12 years at the Belhar selfhelp area outside St Mary's Magdalene Church Picture: Armand Hough / African News Agency (ANA) Sharon MacDonald has been having her soup kitchen for 12 years at the Belhar selfhelp area outside St Mary's Magdalene Church Picture: Armand Hough / African News Agency (ANA)
Belhar resident Sharon MacDonald, has been sharing goodness at her soup kitchen with the disadvantaged and homeless for 12 years, and on Wednesday she surprised them with an extra gift for kids at a Christmas lunch.
About 450 people queued outside the St Mary Magdalene Church waiting to receive their free meal that was home-cooked by MacDonald with the help of her friends.
Each person received a meal of chicken, potato salad, pasta, cake and cooldrink, plus a present for the kids.
She has a soup kitchen every Wednesday for the locals in Belhar, and an extra treat with a meal is given to them before Christmas and at Easter every year.
Marcleen Brown and Chantel Greece, both 6, are all smiles after receiving food and a Christmas present at Sharon MacDonald’s soup kitchen on Wednesday. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency (ANA)
Sharon MacDonald has been having her soup kitchen for 12 years at the Belhar self-help area outside St Mary's Magdalene Church. Picture: Armand Hough / African News Agency (ANA)
MacDonald and her husband Edward have been providing meals to the homeless from their own salaries for 12 years, and this year they were fortunate to receive a sponsorship from Pick n Pay Rondebosch and other donors.
“We want to give these children a present so that they can also feel Christmas,” said Sharon.
“I am on board with helping my wife make this happen. Even when she is sick, she still does this for the people,” said Edward.
“Even though she only does this on a Wednesday, there are still some nights that she would go over to people’s houses to give them food,” he said.
Sharon and her husband registered the soup kitchen as a non-profit organisation in August, and this will help them receive more donations from the public.
Anyone who would like to donate can contact Edward at 0721288407 or Sharon at 0721125533.
