Will cycle for food

Three Bermuda Commercial bank staff will be cycling for the South African FoodBank in a crowd of 35,000 riders.

Horst E. Finkbeiner II, COO of BCB, Neil de ste Croix, general manager of BCB Paragon and BCB Charter, and Greg Reid, CFO of BCB, will be cycling in the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour in South Africa in support of FoodBank.

Mr Finkbeiner II said in a press release: “When the opportunity arose to join in this exciting and adventurous event, we jumped at the chance. FoodBank South Africa is doing amazing work, and even though my cycling skills may not be stellar, I am ready and anxious for the challenge!”

For every dollar that the three BCB riders earn, a private anonymous donor has offered to match those funds up to $28,400 USD.

Some 20 per cent South African households —11 million people — have inadequate access to clean food.

A spokesperson for BCB said hunger in South Africa is an issue with a solution, because enough food can be grown locally within the local communities. Reducing hunger is an effective way to address other socio-economic challenges such as crime, ill health and (in part because children will attend school in order to receive food and will pay better attention if fed) poor education.

The spokesperson said the FoodBank already operates food banks in seven South African cities and supports an eighth which is independently run.

“The eventual target is to form a locally run food bank in every South African city and town.

“Since its inception in 2009, FoodBank has already donated an estimated 50 million meals to people who need the support and continues to donate food to over 1,000 other community-based organisations countrywide.

“These contributions provide aid to orphans and vulnerable children, the elderly, people suffering from HIV/AIDS and the unemployed.

“The food banks operate a Food Rescue programme. Each year this extremely green programme, supported by many of South Africa’s major food companies, saves thousands of tons of viable food sent to landfills and redistributes it to the hungry.

“This is augmented by a Food Procurement programme which buys staple foods, enjoys major cost breaks from major food suppliers, and allows more nutritionally balanced food support.

Effective

“This is an extremely cost effective way of providing food, the main costs however, are FoodBank’s logistics. As these offer economies of scale, the estimated cost per meal currently averages just 19 US Cents.

“At the 2012 Climate Change Leadership Awards, FoodBank won the Waste Management Award and was voted Charity of the Year by the South African Chamber of Commerce. Their vision for “A South Africa without hunger and malnutrition” is a long way off and every donation helps.”

The spokesperson said: “Please support our riders in their quest to help curb unnecessary hunger in South Africa.”