A Milnerton woman runs a charity that feeds hundreds of people each week as a way to honour the memory of her late husband.
Pat Pillay lost her husband, Rodney, to cancer in 2016, and a year later, she decided to help others as a way to get over her grief.
She started RPJ Healing Hands, a non-profit company, to help poverty-stricken communities around Cape Town. RPJ are her late husband’s initials: Rodney Peter Junior.
She says that during the height of the pandemic in 2020 she and other volunteers fed thousands of people seven days a week in Cape Town.
She now runs the non-profit’s office in Milnerton and every Sunday feeds more than 500 street people from there.
Some of her volunteers can also be found handing out food on Thursdays in Raatz Drive, in Parklands.
Ms Pillay says her husband’s memory lives on through the organisation.
“Making at least two people smile just warms our hearts and brings healing to our sadness because we do it with pure love and good intentions.”
Most of the volunteers and donors are people who have also lost a loved one, and they dedicate their help to the memory of that person.
The organisation also gives second-hand clothing to street people.
Ms Pillay says her organisation hopes to “spread the love” with other communities, faith-based organisations and shelters around the city.
To help or find out more, contact Ms Pillay at 082 494 7287 or pat@rpjhelpinghands.org.za
