Meet the Million Meal Club

One million meals.

One million opportunities to nourish a child, strengthen a community and remind someone that they are not forgotten.

It’s incredible to think that this journey began with a single conversation back in early 2017.

Curious to learn more about the Rise Against Hunger meal-packing initiative, we met with the passionate team led by CEO Brian Nell and Marketing Manager Nadine Sandrock. They shared a simple but powerful truth: one meal pack feeds six adults.

Inside every pack is more than just food. A carefully balanced combination of rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and 23 essential vitamins and minerals provide the nutrition children need to learn, grow and thrive.

As we listened, we also learned the heartbreaking reality:

• Around 3.2 million children in South Africa do not receive enough nutrition to lead healthy, active lives
• One in four children suffers from stunting as a result of malnutrition
• Nearly 63% of South African households experience some form of food insecurity

Those statistics weren’t just numbers. They represented children arriving at school hungry, struggling to concentrate and facing barriers no child should have to overcome.

At City Property, children and education have always been close to our hearts. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn, dream and build a brighter future. But learning is incredibly difficult on an empty stomach.

We knew we had to be part of the solution.

That Mandela Day, our staff gathered at 012central to spend their 67 minutes packing meals for children across South Africa. With the Rise Against Hunger team taking care of every detail, all we had to do was roll up our sleeves and start packing.

Together, we packed 72,000 meals.

What surprised us most wasn’t how quickly the meals came together – it was the enthusiasm, energy and sense of purpose our employees brought to the event. Teams worked side by side, encouraging one another while enjoying a little friendly competition to see who could pack the fastest.

It didn’t take long before the initiative became much more than a Mandela Day activity.

Inspired by the versatility of the meal packs, we launched the now-famous Rise Against Hunger Cook-Off, challenging staff to transform the nutritious meal packs into delicious family meals.

The creativity was extraordinary.

From Mexican tacos and fragrant biryanis to proudly South African favourites and unforgettable desserts like Angie Henning’s legendary tiramisu, our staff proved that compassion and creativity are a powerful combination. The competition quickly became one of the highlights of our CSI calendar, with colleagues eagerly sharing recipes, cultures and stories around food.

In 2019, the initiative evolved even further.

Alongside packing meals, our CSI team personally distributed food packs to ECD centres, NGOs and soup kitchens throughout the Pretoria CBD. To help caregivers make the most of every meal, we compiled and shared a recipe booklet inspired by our own Cook-Off creations.

It was a simple idea that reflected something Nelson Mandela believed deeply: meaningful change often starts with small acts of kindness.

Even during the pandemic, when we could no longer gather to pack meals together, our commitment never stopped. While circumstances kept us apart, we continued donating meals so they could reach the communities that needed them most during one of the most challenging periods in recent history.

When we returned in 2022, we picked up right where we had left off – united by one shared purpose: creating a world where no child has to choose between hunger and learning.

Today, as we prepare to pack our one millionth meal, we are reminded that lasting impact isn’t created in a single day. It’s built meal by meal. Year after year. Volunteer after volunteer.

One million meals represent far more than a number.

They represent children who could focus in class because they weren’t hungry. Families who found relief during difficult times. Caregivers who had hope. Communities that experienced kindness when they needed it most.

While we know there is still much work to be done, we’re incredibly proud of what our employees have achieved together over the past decade. Every volunteer who gave 67 minutes, every meal packed, every recipe shared and every helping hand has contributed to this remarkable milestone.

This Mandela Day, we won’t simply celebrate one million meals.

We’ll celebrate one million reasons to keep going.

Because together, we can continue changing lives – one meal at a time.

Want to meet the people behind this incredible milestone?

Keep an eye out for our next article, where we’ll introduce the inspiring employees who make up City Property’s very own Million Meal Club.