Seen Here: Hope grows where hands unite. This Mandela Month, 2,500 FirstRand Volunteers are turning compassion into action by packing food parcels and planting the seeds of sustainable food security for communities across South Africa. Together, they’re proving that the greatest tribute to Madiba’s legacy is not just remembering his words—but living them through meaningful service. #MandelaMonth #FirstRandVolunteers #FoodSecurity #67Minutes #CommunityImpact #ServeToChangeLives Photo Credit: Supplied
JOHANNESBURG – In a nationwide show of compassion inspired by Nelson Mandela’s enduring legacy of service, FirstRand Volunteers (FRV) will mobilise 2,500 employees across all nine provinces throughout July to support vulnerable communities through an ambitious Mandela Month campaign focused on food security, sustainability and community empowerment.
Working in partnership with long-standing non-profit organisation Meals on Wheels, FirstRand employees will participate in coordinated volunteer activations that combine immediate humanitarian relief with long-term sustainable solutions to hunger.
The initiative will see volunteers pack 2,500 nutritious food parcels for vulnerable households while simultaneously constructing food-producing garden planters for schools, early childhood development centres, old-age homes and community-based organisations across South Africa.
Valued at more than R10 million, the programme goes far beyond a once-off Mandela Day gesture. It includes food supplies, agricultural inputs, garden infrastructure, compost, irrigation systems, seedlings and ongoing training designed to equip beneficiary organisations with the skills and resources needed to grow their own food sustainably.
The intervention is expected to benefit between 50 and 60 organisations nationwide that provide essential services, including daily meals, education, care and social support to children, older persons and vulnerable families.
By combining immediate food assistance with agricultural development, FirstRand Volunteers hopes to leave a lasting legacy that extends well beyond Mandela Month.
“Nelson Mandela Month reminds us that meaningful change starts with action. Through the FirstRand Volunteers Programme, our employees are coming together across the country to deliver both immediate relief and long-term food security solutions for the communities we serve,” said Kone Gugushe, Head of Social Investing at FirstRand Group.
The collaboration with Meals on Wheels builds on decades of community service by the organisation, which has long been at the forefront of combating hunger through food distribution while promoting sustainable food production through community gardens.
During each activation, employee volunteers will rotate between two primary activities: assembling and packing food parcels for distribution to vulnerable families, and planting vegetable seedlings while constructing garden planters that will enable beneficiary organisations to produce fresh food for years to come.
Meals on Wheels facilitators, programme coordinators and local community partners will oversee each activation to ensure the initiatives deliver maximum impact.
The campaign forms part of FirstRand’s broader employee volunteering programme, which encourages staff members to dedicate their time, expertise and energy to causes that improve lives and strengthen communities.
As South Africa marks Mandela Month, the initiative reflects the late statesman’s belief that every individual has the power to make a meaningful difference through selfless service.
Rather than limiting volunteerism to the symbolic 67 minutes traditionally associated with Mandela Day, FirstRand’s month-long programme demonstrates a commitment to creating sustainable social impact by investing in food resilience, community development and the dignity of those most affected by poverty.
With thousands of employees united behind a common purpose, the programme serves as a powerful reminder that Mandela’s vision of a caring and inclusive society continues to inspire collective action that transforms lives—one food parcel, one garden and one community at a time.
