Charity overwhelmed by community donations
RANDPARK – Caxton Newspapers drops off loads of goods donated by the Johannesburg community to help the needy.
Glynis Rozendo of Charity Begins With Me was overjoyed after Caxton Newspapers dropped off hundreds of goods donated by the Johannesburg North community at her collection point.
“All I can say is ‘wow!’ I have never been so overwhelmed with such generosity, and it’s truly humbling to see how the community has come together. We have had goods donated from Rosebank, Bryanston, Linden, Krugersdorp and so many other widespread places,” Rozendo said.
Goods have been donated to help with relief efforts after last month’s storm that affected parts of Sundowner, Honeydew and Zandpruit. “The goods that have been donated today will be donated to the Zandspruit relief effort, particularly Norah’s Educare in Zandspruit.”
Norah’s Educare, a day-care provider for over 100 children, was completely destroyed in the storm that hit the township last month.
“We have been given a substantial amount of food and clothes that have been donated, and all I can say is thank you to the community. The last time my house was this full was when our charity collected for the Knysna fire disaster,” Rozendo commented.
All goods that have been donated have to be sorted according to their needs, and some have to be cleaned to ensure that they are safe for children to use. This is also to ensure that there is nothing undignified included in the donation. The goods will be donated to the needy after sorting has been completed next week.
Due to the sheer amount of donated goods, Rozendo said, “The goods that have been donated today will be primarily donated to the Zandspruit relief effort, but some goods will be kept for future disasters that arise.”
She provides her home as a drop-off point for the charity and any other disaster relief effort as the need arises.
The organisation was founded by Stephan Ferreira after he realised that he wanted to make the world a better place after being diagnosed with leukaemia four years ago. Rozendo said, “I met Stephan a few years ago and was inspired by his charity work. I knew I could lend a hand.”
Ferreira added, “The idea of death did not scare me, but I knew I wanted to leave behind something worth remembering before I officially kicked the bucket.” He has recently been re-diagnosed with leukaemia.
Each month, they organise one or two projects where they collect various items they can use to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. The charity chooses not to focus on one area only. They provide homes for the elderly, homeless and indigent, and every Sunday, the charity feeds 200 children in Durban Deep.
Details: You can follow the group on their Facebook page, Charity Begins With Me, where you can get updates on what the organisation is doing and how you can assist. You can also SMS or WhatsApp Stephan Ferreira on 072 593 3866.
