Saints Animal Charity is in dire need of book donations
Founder of Saints Animal Charity, Vivienne Elliott, said they rely on book sales for a large part of the funds they raise for the animals, and they have nothing.
Saints Animal Charity, a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting various animal welfare causes, is ‘on bended knees’ calling on the public to donate the books they no longer want.
Founded in July 2012, Saints has contributed to several animal welfare organisations by selling second-hand items including clothes, books, and other donated items. Despite their impactful work, they face a challenge as their bookshop currently lacks stock. Vivienne Elliott, the founder of Saints said, “On bended knees, we are in trouble. We rely on our online book sales for a large part of the funds we raise for the animals, and we have nothing.”
Elliott encouraged the community to contribute by donating books and supporting their cause. “Our work is raising funds for animal welfare and sterilisations, it’s our work that raises the funds. Without the funds, the work of these organisations is impacted.”
Reflecting on the charity’s humble beginnings, Elliott shared, “The book sale first began from the boot of my car in 2008. I used to drive around to shopping centres and offices, then got a spot at Northriding Square twice a month. From this, it grew into a charity shop in 2012.”
To bolster their efforts, Saints hosts sidewalk book sales every Saturday outside their Northriding Square location. Elliott shared the need for newer fiction, kiddies, and non-fiction books to enhance their book selection for the animal lovers who visit Saints’ online and physically. “The buyers are mostly animal lovers from all over South Africa. A significant portion of our funds are raised through these physical book sales and our online platform called ‘Saints Buy the Book’ on Facebook.”
The charity’s shop, located at Shop 22 Northriding Square, operates daily from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, with Saturday hours from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Elliott explained the easy donation process, saying, “People bring in donations and it is received by our staff or volunteers. They do sign a register and that’s it. We will pay out everything we raise.”
Related Article: Junkie Charity Shop relocates to Linden
