MAC launches initiatives to feed the aged and give back to the community.

Milnerton Aquatic Club (MAC) recently ran and fully funded a club campaign that saw 10 ladies from the Living Legends Table View Seniors Club get together at MAC and put together around 300 soup and stew jars to donate to various retirement communities around the area to ensure elderly and frail care residents don’t go hungry.

The MAC Jar of Hope initiative was started by the aquatic club’s management committee in a bid to assist destitute and forgotten elderly, some of whom have been dropped off and abandoned by their family members at community shelters such as Lilly Rose in Mamre.

Other recipients of the Jar of Hope packs included Vue du Cap Retirement Village’s Annexes for SASSA pensioners, Locals Helping Locals, and 2 Help Others — all of which received 67 jars each (all delivered / collected on Mandela Day the 18th of July) to share amongst their elderly.

“The aged are often forgotten about and unseen, and we felt there are enough charity organizations out there catering to children and animals and that it’s the elders we wanted to support when considering how we want to give back to the community,” says Jacqui Smith, Honorary Secretary Milnerton Aquatic Club.

Each Jar of Hope (consisting of lentils, soup mix, rice, soup powder and stock cubes) contains enough to feed 8 people and recipients of the jars were only too happy to cook up and catch up with their friends.

In addition to being DA Ward Councilor for the greater Table View area, Joy Solomon, also stands as Club President for Milnerton Aquatic Club following her longstanding membership since 1982. It was through her help, connecting MAC with Living Legends, that the project got off the ground.

MAC is also preparing to launch a number of other initiatives centered around improving life for the aged, which include cheaper meals, and tea & cake days at the aquatic club.  MAC will continue to run the “MAC Jar of Hope for the Aged by the Aged” to hand out to the Aged on a regular basis.