Journey’s End Foundation reaches milestone of 500,000 charitable meals

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 10 June, 2021

Stellenbosch based winery Journey’s End has surpassed the remarkable milestone of providing 500,000 free meals to their local community with the aim of serving up one million meals by the end of 2021.

Set up in August 2020 largely as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, MD Rollo Gabb and his team established the company’s charitable NGO, the Journey’s End Foundation, to help tackle worsening hunger and poverty in the Helderberg region of South Africa. Initially, Journey’s End Foundation set out to provide 10,000 meals per week for 12 months. Ten months on, the Foundation is now serving over 20,000 meals a week with a total of 549,162 meals provided to date.

The foundation funds ingredients, equipment, gas and infrastructure for the meals, which are in turn funded by Journey’s End Vineyards and the Gabb family. Meals are cooked and served daily for the local communities via a network of nine soup kitchens run by a group of local volunteers.

Without these inspirational female volunteers, said Gabb, “we would not have been able to make this a reality. We are now providing over 20,000 meals a week which is far beyond what we initially set out to do. Our goal is to provide 1,000,000 meals by the end of this year, and then continue to scale up the program to provide ongoing assistance in future. There is a sense of urgency that we can and should be doing more, and that is exactly what we plan to do. We look forward to seeing the programme grow and deeply hope we can continue to make a difference to those most in need.”

Journey’s End said they plan to provide ongoing support to the area of Sir Lowry’s Pass, where many of the members of the team live nearby. Having seen the impact the food programme has made, Journey’s End and the Foundation has committed to continue its support indefinitely.

Hettie Orffer, who manages the soup kitchens and works closely with Journey’s End Foundation said, “The last year has been particularly devastating with lack of jobs, illness and the increasing poverty. So to be able to ease some of the pressure by providing daily meals is a blessing and the need to continue is evident.”

The most southerly estate in the wider Stellenbosch wine region, Journey’s End’s vines are planted on the Schapenberg hills and have been owned by the Gabb family since 1996.

Early this year, the estate joined the list of 45 South African wine farms to attain WWF Conservation Champion status.

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