“Awesome and Inspirational”: Woolworths Donates Cape Town Marathon Food to 18 Charities, SA Moved

• The Cape Town Marathon scheduled for Saturday, 18 October, was suddenly cancelled at 4:45 AM due to severe winds that even damaged event equipment
• A Facebook post shared by one of the sponsors, Woolworths, detailed a charity supply contingency plan they came up with after the race cancellation, touching online audiences
• Social media users praised the retail store for donating all available fresh produce to charities, and others were inspired by the quick, thoughtful gesture

The sudden cancellation of the Cape Town Marathon due to severe winds on Saturday morning led to a remarkable display of community action by one of the event’s sponsors.

In a post shared on Woolworths Facebook, they shared that the cancellation news was confirmed around 4:45 AM. In less than five hours, they had come up with a plan to feed charities with the sponsorship food, a gesture appreciated by many online viewers.

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Woolworths, who had prepared to feed 24,000 marathon runners, rushed into action. On its Facebook account Woolworths, the retail giant shared a photo of its staff preparing bananas and clemengolds, confirming their dedication to prevent food waste. The team worked fast to redirect the massive stock of fresh produce.

Woolworths feeds 18 Cape Town charities

The enormous supply included 26,000 bananas, 20,000 clemengolds, 280kg of potatoes, 5,000 apples, 1,800 sandwiches, and many other items. Woolworths said by 10 AM that same morning, all available foods had been collected by 18 charities to be distributed to communities who needed it most. This rapid response ensured that none of the top-quality fresh produce went to waste.

SA praises Woolworths for its generosity

The post attracted massive views and comments from social media users who were impressed by the retailer’s quick and thoughtful arrangement. Many viewers thanked the store for the gesture, admitting they had been worried about what would happen to the massive volume of food prepared for the race. Some shared their admiration for the retail store’s actions, with others commenters stating that the ethical response was the reason they loved and supported Woolworths. Others reiterated how special the gesture was, calling for the quick donation awesome and inspirational.

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User @Ursula Maasdorp commented:

"What an excellent arrangement, put into place. Dear God, Bless those who received this generous gift. And Bless those through whom provision was made."

User @Henry Lesar said:

"Thank you, WOOLWORTHS. I was worried what would happen with all of the food. Great Job."

User @Angela Symons shared:

"This is why I love and support Woolies! Well done."

User @Lorraine Erasmus added:

"That's special. Good thinking."

User @Lindiwe Simelane added:

"Awesome and inspirational."

User @Trish Posthumus commented:

"One hot cross bun for me. I was planning on getting to your point after 3.30hrs. I searched from strand to green point for hot cross buns on Saturday. Well done on your brilliant strategy."

See the Facebook post below:

3 Briefly News articles by Briefly News

• A social media user shared a video alerting her followers to a massive 75% off on Lindt wafer chocolate at Woolies, causing an online scramble for the expensive treat.
• Three university students invaded their friend's room at the residence and found a fridge full of Woolworths foods, such as cheese, plain yoghurt and even cake.
• A local woman challenged herself to get lunch for under R30 at Woolworths and came back with chicken strips and a crusty bread roll, which she enjoyed at work with coffee.

Source: Briefly News