Rosebank unites for 2024 Mandela Day Build-a-Backpack initiative

Rosebank is gearing up for Mandela Day 2024 with the return of the Build-a-Backpack Campaign, an initiative dedicated to supporting the homeless community at the Immaculata Shelter.

Launched in July 2023 by the Rosebank Management District in collaboration with the Rosebank Homeless Association, this campaign provides essential items to the community’s most vulnerable members.

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The Immaculata Shelter, based at the Rosebank Catholic Church and run by the Rosebank Homeless Association, offers safe shelter, skills training, and assistance with documentation for the homeless. As winter begins, the number of people seeking help at the shelter has risen, highlighting the critical need for community support.

Currently, the Immaculata Shelter can accommodate up to 100 people, offering a place to sleep and a nutritious meal daily. The Build-a-Backpack Campaign is a chance for Rosebank residents to contribute by donating backpacks filled with essentials such as clothing, toiletries, and blankets.

“Mandela month is one of our coldest winter months, so we appeal to the community to remember those who are less fortunate,” says Fiona Manoim, a social worker at Immaculata Shelter. “At present, we have more than 550 people registered with us to receive clothes and basics to survive.”

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Last year, the campaign received overwhelming support, including a sizable donation of 50 new backpacks from Southern Sun Rosebank and 54 on Bath hotels. The campaign will run until July 31, and organisers are once again calling on the community for support.

Judith Briggs, chairperson of the Rosebank Homeless Association, expressed her gratitude: “What a generous donation, and what a good idea to ask for the backpacks. Please convey the thanks of the Immaculata Shelter and the Rosebank Homeless Association for such a splendid donation to all concerned, and to RMD for putting out the word.”

Donations can be dropped off at the Rosebank Visitor Centre inside Rosebank Mall.

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