Shopping taken to the next level at St Mary’s
In true Mini Council style the outpouring of generosity by friends, family members and school friends was enormous and the St Mary’s play area was transformed into a well-stocked Street Store with the help of the St Mary’s children.
VISITING St Mary’s Children’s Home in Rosettenville, on May 21, the Johannesburg Mini Council hosted a pop-up street store for the children.
“It was fantastic being able to choose clothes – the pop-up stores were such fun,” said one of the little girls who lives in the home.
The Street Store, an award-winning concept invented by Max Pazak and Kayli Levitan, is a rent-free, premises-free pop-up charity store.
Mentor and facilitator for the Special Project’s Committee,16-year-old Claudia Landi, hosted her first Street Store in 2014 when she was in Grade Eight. Claudia and her sister Alessia were awarded the title of Lead SA Youth Heroes in November 2014 for hosting the first youth Street Store, by the youth for the youth.
Claudia was a Johannesburg Mini Councillor in Grade Seven. She said, “Hosting the Street Store taught me so much and brought everyone involved so much joy and happiness. When we were brainstorming ideas at a committee meeting I told the councillors about the project and they were keen to host one too.”
The councillors on the Special Projects Committee, which included learners from St David’s Marist, Crawford Sandton, Saheti, Roedean, St Benedict’s and King David, spent two months preparing for the Street Store. Each councillor was tasked with collecting at least three full black bags of previously loved, gently worn clothing.
In true Mini Council style the outpouring of generosity by friends, family members and school friends was enormous and the St Mary’s play area was transformed into a well-stocked Street Store with the help of the St Mary’s children.
Each child at St Mary’s was presented with a personalised shopping bag decorated by the Special Project’s Committee councillors. With the councillors as shop assistants, everyone had a fun morning shopping.
The shopping experience was topped off with a special visit by April’s Lead SA Youth Hero, Dario Gouveia, accompanied by little sister Liana, from Sole2Sole. Dario and Liana had carefully selected shoes in all of the correct sizes for the St Mary’s Children. Nine-year-old Dario proudly told everyone that Sole2Sole has collected over 5 000 pairs of shoes and plans to reach a target of 10 000 shoes.
The mini councillors prepared a picnic lunch for the children and everyone enjoyed the glorious winter sunshine, relaxing and making new friends.
“The Johannesburg Mini Council more than excelled with the amazing Street Store that they treated the St Mary’s Children’s Home children to on Sunday. Claudia and her team were remarkable,” said Sonja Harmse, director of the children’s home.
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