VIDEO: Help a charity out this Madiba Day!
#WhatToDoWednesday – With Mandela Day just one week away, here are some events you can get involved in, all in the name of Madiba!
With former president Nelson Mandela’s big 100th birthday celebration just one week away, it’s the perfect opportunity to donate to a charity.
Randfontein has a wide variety of charities that care for babies, the elderly, the sick and the poor and now is your chance to help them out.
Just In Time Baby Sanctuary in Greenhills is a registered, non-profit organisation that looks after abandoned, abused and neglected babies. Georgina Caetano, the founder, encourages the public to reach out to charity on Mandela Day next week. They are currently only permitted to care for six babies at a time, but they have great plans to expand so any cash or product donations are welcome.
This charity relies solely on the goodwill of businesses and the public for financial support. They need to raise about R1 million to keep their premises and they are always in need of food and baby products like diapers, milk formula, cleaning materials, toiletries and over-the-counter medicines for babies. If you want to donate anything, please contact the Sanctuary at georgina@justintime.org.za to find out what brand of products they use.
They also attempt to have their own fundraising events at least every two months. This month, Tiny Miss South Africa is hosting the second annual Miss and Mr Just In Time fundraiser.
Here’s a list of events you can get involved in all in the name of Madiba!
• Assist Cansa
Help them reach their goal of 100 Cansa care packs for adult and child cancer patients at each of their 28 Cansa care centres. A cancer diagnosis is difficult enough, but combining that with poverty is overwhelming. Mandela Day challenges us to put the poor first, put ourselves in the shoes of others, and make a meaningful contribution. You can donate a number of items, from face cloths and sponges to antibacterial soap, pocket tissues, toilet paper, hand sanitisers, wet wipes, toothbrushes and more. To make a financial gift, please donate online at https://bit.ly/2lmkq7w DonateCANSAMandelaDay. Contact your local Cansa care centre at https://www.cansa.org.za/cansa-care-centres-contact-details/ or call toll-free 0800 22 6622.
• Reach out to any four Randfontein charities
The Randfontein Publicity Association (RPA) is asking Randfonteiners to lend a helping hand to any four local charities. Several registered NPOs/ NGOs are members of the RPA and they all do vitally important work in various communities – from babies, children and moms, to dogs and cats. These organisations include the Women against Women and Child Abuse (Wawa) Babies Behind Bars Project; the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA); Just In Time Baby Sanctuary (a temporary place of safety/ foster home for abused, abandoned and neglected orphans and infants) and Cradle of Hope (focusing on assisting women and children in desperate need).
If you cannot deliver your donation, you are welcome to drop it off at the RPA’s office at Greenhills Stadium during office hours (8am to 4.30pm) and they will make sure it is delivered to the NGO of your choice. Should you have any queries, call 082 852 1860 (our Telkom lines are still down) or send an email to joy@randfonteininfo.co.za.
• Annual Secret Scarf Day Mission all over South Africa
KnitWits for Madiba have once again embarked on their annual secret scarf day mission – KnitWits and volunteers across the country have been churning out scarves en masse for the 67 Blankets Secret Scarves Shhh…!! Mission (also known as the SSS Mission). Now in its 4th year, the SSS Mission will once again have a nationwide presence at venues across the country on the 12th July at 3pm, with thousands of scarves being tied to trees for people in need to take for some winter warmth at various spots across the country. Each scarf will have the special 67 Blankets trademark label sewn onto it and a special message attached which reads “I AM NOT LOST. IF YOU ARE COLD AND NEED ME, PLEASE TAKE ME. LOVE, 67 BLANKETS FOR NELSON MANDELA DAY”. Visit www.67blankets.co.za for more information.
• 17 July: Parcels for Prisoners
On Tuesday, 17 July, Wawa (based in Toekomsrus) will be putting parcels together for distribution to prisons on 18 July. This in conjunction with the Babies Behind Bars project. The parcel packing will take place at the Wawa shelter (next to the police station) in Toekomsrus from 9am to 12 noon.
• 18 July: Spend some time at Claw
Why not share an experience with the Community Led Animal Welfare (Claw) team in the spirit of Nelson Mandela Day at Durban Deep, Roodepoort from 10am to 3pm? Entrance is free. You can also make new furry friends. Projects available to be involved in include a community garden, outreach programme and general refresh of kennel and run areas. So, what are you waiting for?
• 18 July: Join the Elders to #WalkTogether
Join The Elders to #WalkTogether for 100 Sparks of Hope to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 100th Anniversary. Gather from 12 noon at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. The walk commences at 1pm. After the short symbolic walk, they will celebrate 100 Sparks of Hope, at Constitution Hill. Speakers include members of The Elders, voices from South Africa and Sparks of Hope from around the world. RSVP essential to Fathima.Ebrahim@edelman.com.
• Let us know what you will be up to on Mandela Day by emailing the editor at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (please remember to include your contact details in the email) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
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