- The Service Dining Room in Cape Town, established in the 1930s, has been feeding the city’s vulnerable for over 85 years.
- Originally founded to help those affected by economic hardships, it now serves about 350 people daily, offering them a nutritious sit-down meal.
- Despite challenges, the facility continues to support the community, relying on donations and a small team of dedicated staff.
A Cape Town-based organisation has kept the city’s most vulnerable fed for roughly 85 years.
The Service Dining Room based in Canterbury Street in the city centre is one of the oldest feeding schemes in town. It was started in the late 1930s.
Karen Cain, operations manager at Service Dining Room, says the facility was started to provide those living on the street with a warm meal, and fast forward to today, it is more needed now than it was then.
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Cain says: “There was a worldwide economic depression and South Africa was also affected by a locust plague and a drought. A woman named Dorris decided to open the Service Dining Room.”
Cain explains that at first, they only served people living on the street. But with the high cost of living, people who cannot afford to buy food also come for a sit-down meal.
Today they feed about 350 people from Monday to Friday.
“At about 05:00 on Mondays, we go to the harbour to fetch fresh fish from I&J. So, our clients get fish once a week. The Service Dining Room is different from a soup kitchen. We provide a sit-down nutritious meal. They can sit and read, play cards, chat with each other, and feel safe. If we have enough food, they can ask for a second helping.”
Cain says they charge R2 per meal.
“We know who can afford to pay and who cannot. This makes the staff accountable because clients are paying for their meals. And it also makes the clients feel proud because they are able to pay for their meals.
“It teaches the clients responsibility because if they can find money for alcohol or drugs, they must also find money for food. Those who cannot afford it are allowed to eat because we know they don’t have the money.”
Challenges
Like all organisations, they also endure challenges.
Cain explains that they rely mostly on donated food, but also have to purchase other items.
She says the lack of shelter space for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and others (LGBTQIA+) community remains a concern.
“The one problem that we have on the street is the transgender population. There is a new shelter that the mayor opened recently, but there is no place for the transgender community to stay. We have many transgender people living on the street.”
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Cain also appeals for donations. “We need children’s reading and colouring books and books for adults in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa. The adults like books about crime and fiction. They come here to read and relax. We welcome books in any language because we have a few clients who speak Portuguese and French.”
Dedication
Cain says they would not be able to continue their service without the dedication of their six employees.
One such employee is Regina Philander, from Clarke Estate. She arrived at the facility 14 years ago in search of her daughter Priscilla.
She explained that she walked into the facility and never left.
One of the clients, who does not want to be named, says he is grateful to the staff at the facility for providing them with meals.
“I have been on the street for four years now. It means a lot that I can come here. To get a warm meal is not easy. I am grateful to everyone here.”
To donate call 021 465 2390 or visit the facility weekdays between 08:00 and 14:00.
