A box of chocolate eggs, or a bottle of cooking oil and a bag of maize meal – how will you celebrate Easter?

While it’s tempting to splash out on treats and roast meat for an Easter celebration, a more meaningful gesture is to reach out and help someone else.

Relentless food price increases are making it harder and harder for many people to put food on the table. Any food. These people dream of having a full bag of rice, beans or maize meal in the cupboard … a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter for the children to spread … some tea, milk and sugar. A can or two of pilchards and the luxury of some chicken pieces to cook for dinner.

As we celebrate the joy of Christ’s resurrection, we are reminded that we too have the opportunity to rise to the challenge of becoming new and better people. And that means caring about others and doing what we can to help.

Jesus cared deeply about the poor and the downtrodden, giving sight to the blind, touching the leper, healing the sick. He made it clear that we are not only to love God, but to love our neighbours as ourselves.

That’s why we ask you to support members of St Vincent de Paul as we collect and distribute food to the poor and needy this Easter. With help from compassionate, caring people like you, we can make sure that no one has to go to bed hungry.

Through all of us, our Lord’s bounty can touch every South African in need, with the joy and comfort of knowing that others care.