Risk Management Institute identifies FoodForward SA as preferred food distribution partner to avoid humanitarian disaster
National non-profit food redistribution organisation, FoodForward SA has been identified as the Institute of Risk Management of South Africa’s (IRMSA) preferred food distribution partner in order to minimise the risk of a humanitarian disaster after it revealed in its findings last week from the IRMSA COVID-19 Risk Think Tank, the likely increase in food insecurity problems and civil unrest based on risk data modelling and taking into account the unique disparities of South Africa.
Says IRMSA CEO Gillian le Cordeur, “The potential to threaten an already highly precarious humanitarian crisis is less about the availability of sufficient food and more about the distribution of surplus and procured food while adhering to the parameters of the Lockdown. Even if the lockdown period isn’t extended, the impact of the initial 21 days is already predicted to have a major impact on the food security and earning potential for millions of South Africans over the next six months.”
According to the media statement that IRMSA released on Friday, the treatment of this risk is the immediate support of a network in South Africa that has an established national footprint, a track record of trusted performance, and can scale as soon as funds are made available.
“Once we identified this risk treatment we were relieved to find in FoodForward SA, an organisation that satisfies our extensive list of criteria,” concludes Le Cordeur.
FoodForward SA is one of many non-profit organisations, including retailers and for-profit companies that are partnering with IRMSA to ensure that a national effort – in support of Government’s immediate focus on preventing the spread of COVID-19 – is well coordinated in order to deliver maximum and extensive assistance to vulnerable communities while minimising the duplication of efforts.
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FoodForwardSA Managing Director, Andy du Plessis comments, “ We are privileged to be working with IRMSA and its professional partners in offering our infrastructure, supply chain and national footprint to assist as many vulnerable communities and at-risk beneficiaries as funding and resources allow.”
FoodForward SA issued an invitation at the end of March to all registered charities that provide essential services to older persons, orphans and vulnerable children, people living with HIV / Aids and TB, and people in vulnerable rural communities, to apply to become official beneficiaries of FoodForward SA.
“Since receiving our essential services permit and scaling up our operation, FoodForward SA has received over 300 Beneficiary Organisation applications and increased our distribution network by adding a further 140 registered beneficiaries to our original network of 670, which translates to a collective 350 000 individuals that FoodForward SA is able to support nutritionally,” he says.
Individuals and families needing food support or assistance should contact their local registered non-profit or ask them to apply to FoodForward SA for assistance.
Donations to FoodForward SA are tax deductible. Contribution details are available at https://foodforwardsa.org/financial-donations/ or from andy@foodforwardsa.org
Together with FoodForward SA, IRMSA has partnered with 13 other professional organisations to address the crisis and collaborate in making a difference.
The professional bodies and associations that have joined IRMSA include the Institute of Directors South Africa, the Compliance Institute of Southern Africa, the Ethics Institute, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners SA, Financial Planning Institute of South Africa, the Actuarial Association of South Africa, the South African Council for Administrators, South African Graduate Employers Association, Independent Professional Body Forum, Institute of People Management, the Corporate Counsel Association of South Africa, the Southern Africa Institute for Business Accountants and the South African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.
