Displaced people around Rosebank taken care of by Immaculata
ROSEBANK – The Immaculata Hall in Rosebank assists the homeless around the area with simple needs.
In cold winter weather, homeless people depend on Immaculata Hall for ablutions, food and a roof over their heads.
The Immaculata Hall falls under the umbrella of the Mercy Shelters for the Homeless, a registered non-profit organisation, and focuses more on homeless people around Rosebank.
The shelter accommodates 20 women and 80 men who can sleep on the premises. They receive two meals a day, breakfast and supper. “After breakfast, they normally go out to look for jobs. Most of them are domestic workers and car guards,” said Immaculata Hall project supervisor, Mike Ntuli.
Ntuli said when Immaculata does intakes, the beneficiaries have to be individuals, not families and couples. “They get their own lockers and sleeper couches. Their belongings also need to be safe.”
Immaculata also has a daycare programme project, where they take care of some of the displaced people who sleep in parks and the empty houses around the area. The displaced people only come in for food and showers because it is impossible to exceed the number of beneficiaries who sleep at the shelter. “They would come in the mornings to take showers and also do their laundry. They always have a meal at 10am. They also receive blankets and clothes.”
Immaculata Hall partners with the Social Development Department which is the main donor. “The national lottery also help us with donations. We have private donors and we also have those who adopt beneficiaries as they [beneficiaries] have to pay R10 a day if they are employed. So some residents will pay for them on a monthly basis,” Ntuli explained.
As they need more donors to come forward with clothes, blankets and non-perishable food, the Rosebank Homeless Association will be hosting their annual general meeting on 11 July at St Martin’s Church in Dunkeld. The Rosebank residents are advised to attend the meeting, which will take place at 5.30pm. The projects that took place between July last year and this year will be reported and feedback on the beneficiaries’ progress will also be provided.
The projects were founded when mostly people from other provinces moved to Johannesburg to look for jobs. The Mercy Shelters for the Homeless provides a home to those who have no one or nowhere to go to while they are still trying to find employment.
Are you interested in donating to the Immaculata Hall? Send your messages to koketsor@caxton.co.za.
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Notice for the Rosebank Homeless Association annual general meeting
