How to give back this Christmas
While we share meals in our warm homes, let’s not forget about the ones who cannot be with their families and those families who cannot afford meals during these times.
THERE is no better time to give than during the festive season. In this dire time of forever-increasing inflation and threatened food security, our heart goes out to the communities that are hit the hardest. While we share meals in our warm homes, let’s not forget about the ones who cannot be with their families and those families who cannot afford meals during these times.
The year 2022 alone has seen over 100 people become homeless during the KZN floods, and even all these months later, some victims will be spending Christmas without their homes. The ripple effect of the Covid-19 pandemic from two years ago is still being felt in the present.
It is part of our civil duty to lend a helping hand, and with charity organisations in place, there couldn’t be a better way to lend a helping hand by supporting their continuous work. We look at national organisations and how we can give back by partaking in their campaigns to help those in need to have a blessed Christmas.
FoodForwardSA
Established in 2009 to address widespread hunger in South Africa, FoodForward SA connects a world of excess to a world of need by recovering edible surplus food from farmers, manufacturers, and retailers for redistribution to registered beneficiary organisations that serve the poor. FoodForwardSA serves in all nine provinces in South Africa and has seven different campaigns in place that operate right through the year. The seven campaigns are: Warehousing Foodbanking, FoodShare that is the virtual food banking, Mobile Rural Depot, Second Harvest, Supply Chain Youth Internship programme, School Breakfast, and Disaster Relief.
As per their statistics, for every rand donated, R198.98 of social return of investment (SROI) is generated. A total of R8,25b worth of SROI was generated in the 2021/2022 financial year. Their cost per meal is only R0.68.
Partner up with Foodforwardsa to enable them to scale up and implement food strategies that provide sustainable economic development outcomes.
Banking details:
FoodForward SA
Nedbank (Tygerberg branch)
Branch code: 19-87-65
Account Number: 101 006 9136
Online donations:
foodforwardsa.org/donate-2
All donations to FoodForward SA are tax-deductible.
SOS Children’s Villages
SOS Children’s Villages are homes that provides care through their family-like villages with family-strengthening programmes and community service centres. The organisation builds families for children in need, helping them shape their futures. The organisation offers the public to jump on board by sponsoring a programme. The programmes run through the year for different causes.
As the sponsor of an SOS village, you can help support the loving care, health, education and supportive community life of children who have been given a new home through SOS Children’s Villages.
“When we take a child into our care, they become part of an SOS family. These families live together in a community known as an SOS Children’s Village. Our SOS Villages provide children with an environment in which they can play, form strong relationships and enjoy their childhood in its entirety. A typical Children’s Village has 10–15 homes.
“When young people are ready to leave the Village, they stay in SOS youth facilities until they are ready for independent life. But we don’t just send children to school.
“We ensure they receive quality education and all the support they need to flourish. We don’t just treat children when they’re sick but work to ensure they are protected against illness. We don’t just put a roof over their heads but give each child a loving family for life. The link to donate is found on the organisation’s website: https://www.sossouthafrica.org.za/ways-to-give-3/
Gift of the Givers
Being the largest disaster response, Gift of the Givers Foundation works to restore the hope and dignity of the most vulnerable in their time of need, rebuilding prosperous communities and empowering leaders of tomorrow.
Since its inception in 1992, the organisation has been responsible for the delivery of life-saving goods and on-the-ground support for innumerable people, collectively valued at some R4.5b, in more than 45 countries across the globe, including South Africa.
“They provide unconditional assistance to the needy, irrespective of whether they are human or animal, irrespective of race, religion, colour, class, political affiliation or geographic location.”
Gift of the Givers offers nine ways to donate including providing their bank details, a facility for an online donation, Masterpass, Amex, donating through MTN Momo SA, Appy with MYSCHOOL, Shoprite donations, donating at the Standard Bank ATM, and including the organisation in your will. All the information is available on their website: https://giftofthegivers.org/make-a-difference/
~ENDS~
