WATCH: The Sharing Kindness Foundation’s mission to end hunger in Joburg south
One of the founding team members of the organisation was once homeless and knows the pain that comes with hunger and homelessness.
Hunger affects millions daily. Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Charmaine Janse van Rensburg, Tina Venturella and Michael Lingwood are trying to change that reality for those living in Johannesburg south.
Through the Sharing Kindness Foundation, they feed over 80 people every Sunday morning at a feeding scheme they operate from their coffee shop, cum nursery and curio shop at Panorama Flea Market on Jordie Street, in Mulbarton.
A story of their own
What began as a means to survive gradually became a mission to serve others.
Three years ago, amid the challenges and hardships brought on by Covid-19, these two friends, Nic Janse van Rensburg, a skilled videographer, and Charmaine (néé Boniface), a dedicated forensic business analyst, found themselves at a crossroads.
Forced to rebuild, they started anew, homeless and with limited options, by setting up a humble stall at the Panorama Flea Market in Mulbarton. They sold succulent plants, a modest beginning that became a lifeline.
@comaro.chronicle Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg offers a guided tour of their Panorama Flea Market on Jordie Street, Mulbarton, which also serves as the base for the Sharing Kindness Foundation’s feeding scheme.
As weekends passed, Nic and Charmaine commuted from a small home they secured on a farm in Muldersdrift. Through each challenge, they discovered strength in kindness and faith, living day by day and finding purpose in giving.
Driven by a vision of peace and hope, they transformed an empty plot at the market entrance into a beautiful sanctuary – a coffee shop set beneath a tarp saved over months, which became a circle of hope for many in need.
“Through this community,” they say, “We found our extended family.”
Realising there is a need
Nic and Charmaine, now happily married, have found true contentment not in material wealth, but in the community they nurtured.
Along with their son and three dogs, they hope to find a small place on a plot closer to Johannesburg south, where they can be closer to their community and continue their work.
People in the area describe this space as a place where small miracles happen daily, a pillar of the community where some support it by buying a cup of tea or coffee, books, and other items. However, that was not enough.
Earlier this year, recognising a need in their community, they established a weekly soup kitchen. Every Sunday, from 08:00 to 09:00, they provide warm meals for at least 80 people, many of whom are homeless or struggling to make ends meet.
“And the number of people coming for meals grows every weekend.
“We receive food donations from another organisation.
Our most immediate need is to get a car to pick up food so we can feed our people as soon as they arrive here,” said Nic.
“We sometimes get a call to get food donations, which then forces us to find transport and sometimes with money we don’t have,” added Nic.
Paying it forward
From this little shop, the Sharing Kindness Foundation came to life and although they feed people, their needs are more than just a car.
“We would appreciate clothing donations, bedding, dishes, fridges, and other home appliances. Our charity shop accepts anything people are willing to donate,” Nic commented.
He was once homeless himself and knows the pain that comes with hunger and homelessness.
With their newly established Sharing Kindness Foundation, Nic and Charmaine, along with dedicated partners Michael Lingwood and Tina Venturella, have expanded their outreach.
United in purpose, the four friends work tirelessly to bring hope and support to as many as possible.
They channel food, clothing, toys, and essentials to nonprofits and vulnerable communities.
Tina and Michael offer invaluable support with government-related issues, guiding those in need, with expertise and, most importantly, compassion – never charging for their time.
Beyond the Sunday morning feeding scheme, they devote countless hours throughout the week to charitable work, especially for the elderly, the blind society, and others in need.
The foundation also needs a bigger space to run its operations because of the increasing number of people who come to the flea market.
Willing donors can contact the foundation at 068 039 7017, email sharingkindnessfoundation@gmail.com or by following their Facebook page Sharing Kindness Foundation, where they share updates on the work they do in the community.
