Frequently Asked Questions

How does the meal sponsorship programme work?

For just R15-00, we will deliver a well balanced, nourishing meal to the home of a needy pensioner. You may sponsor just as many meals each month as your budget will allow. R180-00 monthly is a full sponsorship as it covers the full cost of the +/- 12 meals that we deliver each month to a pensioner.

Each month your sponsorship is transferred electronically via the bank’s Automated Clearing Bureau. This bureau “clears” the transaction and transfers the amount of your sponsorship from your account into the Meals on Wheels Sponsorship Account. You will identify the transaction on your bank statement by the words, “Multi d for MOW – Thank You.”

This is a casual arrangement – it is NOT binding in any way.

Prior to any transaction taking place, we will mail you a letter of confirmation.

How do I cancel my sponsorship?

You may cancel the arrangement by phone, by fax, by email or by letter. You will not be asked to give any reason for the cancellation and you will not be expected to give any notice of cancellation.

Is it not risky to give my bank details over the telephone?

The details you supply are simply the details that appear on your cheque. It is no more risky supplying these details over the phone than it is putting a cheque in the mail.

Meals on Wheels is a “registered merchant” with Multidata/SANLAM (our electronic funds transfer bureau), and only registered and recognised bureaus such as Multidata/SANLAM can submit these details to the bank – and this ONLY under very strict and limited conditions.

Can’t I just send a donation by mail every now and then?

While we certainly do appreciate every cent that we receive, charities can no longer survive on this method of fund-raising as it has become very costly, very wasteful and very risky. For every twenty appeal letters that we mail out we receive one response, which means that the one response has to be offset by the cost of at least twenty letters (about R40.00).

In our case, the commitment that we make to a needy pensioner is always an ongoing commitment and, as such, it is very difficult to make such a commitment on the strength of donations that we may or may not receive in the mail from time to time.

On what authority do you initiate the sponsorship?

By special arrangement with Multidata/SANLAM (our electronic funds transfer bureau), we make a voice recording of our conversation with you. According to banking legislation, this recording is perfectly acceptable as your authorization.

How may I learn more about the Meals on Wheels service?

You may phone our Central Coordinating Office during working hours at 0860 000 700 (ask for Erika Botha). Erika will be happy to answer your questions.

Is Meals On Wheels a Nationwide Service?

Yes, at this time we have 210 branches nationwide and over 400 service points. These branches are delivering and serving over 24 million meals annually to struggling Senior Citizens.

Most of the meal preparation, the driving, and the “hopping” is undertaken by voluntary helpers. Thanks to our large voluntary workforce, we are able to keep our overheads to a minimum.

Why do you need my ID Number?

Because our future depends on our keeping in contact with those who have the cause of the struggling aged at heart, we like to keep a record of your id number because it is the only number that will not change in years to come.

Should you change your address, we will be able to re-establish contact with you via your ID number.

OK, where do we go from here?

Thank you for caring.

If we have already phoned you, then a staff member from our National Public Relations Office will be contacting you in the near future to discuss your sponsorship and to answer any further questions that you may have. In the unlikely event that they do not manage to make contact with you in the next week or so, please or telephone Erika at 0860 000 700.

If we have not telephoned you, then please make contact with us either by telephone, by fax or by .

We look forward to joining hands with you in this nationwide initiative to restore dignity and peace to the lives of our struggling old friends.