uMhlanga Street Store collection drive
Besides being able to clothe the homeless, the Street Store also gives people the retail experience of choosing their own attire.
THE Street Store concept may have begun in Cape Town, but it has also captured the imagination of Grace Family Church uMhlanga, which was one of the organising forces behind the Durban version last year. It is a store where everything is free and the aim is to bring dignity to the homeless people of the city. The Street Store is the world’s first rent-free, premises-free, pop-up charity store, giving away clothes to the poor for free.
What’s more, the store, located at 398 Mahatma Gandhi Road, is made of posters on the sidewalk and runs entirely on donations. Besides being able to clothe the homeless, it is also gives people the retail experience of choosing their own attire. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, 16 May from 8.30am to midday.
Northglen News recently caught up with local resident and Grace Family Church member, Riette du Plessis, who proposed having a Durban version of a street store.
“I saw the YouTube video, which was incredible and heartwarming. I thought about how there are so many people on Durban’s streets who don’t have homes and I approached the church to find out about hosting our own event. They were 100 per cent behind the idea. Last year’s event was a resounding success and we hope for more of the same this year,” explained Du Plessis.
“It’s all about giving back and bringing some dignity to homeless people. They get to choose an outfit for themselves from the hundreds of donated items, according to their style, along with other much-needed items such as blankets and shoes. It’s pretty simple: you bring clothes and shoes you don’t wear, and the homeless help themselves.”
The concept uses cardboard stands to create the ‘aisles’ in the stores, making it easy to set up shop anywhere. The cardboard stands also are imprinted with clothes hanger prints, doubling as fashion displays like in commercial shops. Street Store volunteers also act as retail store consultants, offering fashion advice to their customers as they try on chosen donated items.
“At the moment we have collection points at the different Grace campuses as well as selected Jam outlets (Hillcrest, The Crescent and Smith Street) and we are appealing to residents to bring in whatever they can. Shoes, clothes and blankets are always welcome. We often take for granted the luxuries we have in life and this is about giving others a small taste of that,” she said.
Dimitra Nicolau, of Grace Aid (NPO linked to the church), said the annual event was not a ‘flash in the pan’ movement.
“As part of the ongoing work we have night missions to shelters, so there is continuity, and we truly want to walk with them, not just give them some free clothes or food and disappear. Our approach is a holistic one, and we are very much aware of their emotional and spiritual needs as much as the physical.
“The focus of the Street Store is giving dignity to homeless people, and with the help of our volunteers to make them feel significant and welcomed rather than ignored and cast aside,” she said.
Contact the church on 031 575 9300.
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