Help spread some warmth this winter at Fred and Martie’s Soup Kitchen

Fred and Martie’s Soup Kitchen is appealing to the community to share the warmth of their hearts with the less fortunate this winter and help make a difference in someone’s life.

Yolindie Oberholzer from the soup kitchen said, “Winter is a dreadful time for our vulnerable children and elderly folk. They face the cold winter nights without the luxury of a blanket, winter clothes and even food. My heart is broken, filled with so much emotion and the tears are rolling down my cheeks. You see, a tiny little girl?s (Jessica) words are echoing in my head. She asked me, ‘Tannie Lindie, do you have a blanket for me? I can’t fall asleep at night. It is so cold’.”

She added that a mother in the community wrote her a letter in which she said, “I am unemployed, if it was not for the soup kitchen we would have been without food for days; not even to mention the cold nights that we would have to bear. There is no work. I sometimes have to look for food in dustbins. I just feel discouraged. There is just no hope for the future. Does God see what we see? God that created us with the need for food and clothes, does he not see what is happening”

That is where the community comes in and Yolindie said, “You can make a difference by supporting us this winter. You can change this chilling cold in the mother?s letter, you can replace it with hope and warmth … You can assist us in warming these children this winter so that they do not go to bed shivering of the cold. We would like to collect blankest, warm clothing such as jackets, jerseys, scarves, beanies, gloves and socks for our children and elderly in need. You can also assist us with tinned food and toiletry items such as toothbrushes, soap, and shampoo and body lotion. Or even food parcels including things like rice, salt, coffee, tea, sugar and soya products.

Your humble generosity will be the source of warmth for our children and elderly folk that are struggling to survive the cold days and freezing nights.”She said that there were two ways to share the warmth, and explained, “You can either donate the items for a warm heart care box, which include One-day flu Remedy, Strepsil Throat Lozenges, Med-Lemon, Borstol cough syrup, Vicks Vapour Rub, Scott’s Emulsion and tissues. We also have the Warm Heart Winter Warmer Box, which includes gloves, scarf, socks, a winter cap and a jersey.”

For more information or enquiries, contact Yolindie on 082 854 6904 or Riaan on 082 786 8517. Alternatively, send an email to yolindie@sopkombuis.com.