The Operation Anti-Freeze Soup Kitchen is a hive of activity again this evening as the sun begins to dip below the horizon, bathing the parking lot of the Shoprite Checkers in Voortrekker Street Kempton Park a warm gold.

It’s the first Wednesday of the month, a time hundreds in this area have been desperately waiting for, because today, they will receive a meal and a parcel of food to see them through the coming weeks.

As the line begins to form a lively hymn oats over the excitedly chattering crowd as hotdogs and cold drink are handed out along with a food parcel.

All are grateful for what they have received, but not many realise the time, organisation and funding it takes to put together food hampers and organise the feeding stations.

The work begins on the second of the month, when food donated by generous companies, is collected, and the rest is purchased with funding raised by Operation Anti-Freeze. It is carefully sorted and then stored as bulk goods are repackaged before each hamper is created. It takes an employee 5 days a week for the whole month to produce the food hampers that go to the Soup Kitchen and to schools.

It takes a truck to move all of the food to the feeding station and many volunteers to put the hotdogs together. It takes a generator and lighting as well as barriers to direct the crowd.

Every month the Operation Anti-Freeze miracle provides hope to so many and it wouldn’t be possible without the generosity and kindness of all involved.