Big donation to help street children
PARKTOWN NORTH – An international non-profit organisation depends on donations from patrons and stakeholders in the hospitality industry gave a large amount of money towards vulnerable children
A non-profit organisation dedicated to helping street children rebuild their lives through donations handed over R 150 000 to their Johannesburg beneficiaries for 2019. The organisation called StreetSmart, gets donations from restaurants, accommodation establishments and wine tasting venues in the Western Cape, Garden Route, Gauteng and KZN. This grand effort is part of the total StreetSmart allocation of R 1.7 million distributed nationally for 2019 to organisations working with children at risk.
The StreetSmart funds were handed over at an event held at La Cucina di Ciro in Parktown North. The Johannesburg beneficiaries were Kids Haven and MES-Youth Enrichment Programme.
“This amount was made possible by the generosity of the patrons and our partners, who in spite of tough economic circumstances still give to make a difference to the lives of children, R5 at a time”, said founder of StreetSmart, Margi Biggs.
“R5 is such a small contribution yet in the hands of StreetSmart it can accumulate and be applied in such a good way to help children. We really need to promote this concept to grow StreetSmart Johannesburg and get more partners involved to help more children,” said Ciro Molinaro, owner of La Cucina di Ciro.
There are currently 10 establishments in Johannesburg that have embraced StreetSmart’s vision to make a real difference to the lives of street children or children at risk of living on the streets. Funds are raised by adding a R5 donation to each patron’s bill. This donation is voluntary and donors are able to contribute more if they wish to.
“Through the generosity of our fundraising partners and other supporters, we are able to continue to expand our national footprint. For the fifth consecutive year, StreetSmart will be disbursing over R1 million to beneficiaries nationally, enabling us to support 35 programmes. We extend an invitation to restaurants, accommodation establishments and wine tasting venues to become StreetSmart in their local areas,” says Melanie Burke, chairman of StreetSmart SA.
StreetSmart SA was set up in 2005 by a group of concerned Capetonians under the patronage of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and comprises resourceful board members representing business, and the hospitality and tourism industries. StreetSmart’s goal is to be part of the process of social normalisation and to encourage the public not to give money into the hands of a child as this keeps them on the streets.
For more information or to make a donation, contact StreetSmart SA at Tel: 021 447 3227 email info@streetsmartsa.org.za or visit www.streetsmartsa.org.za.
Is your organisation handing donations to a charity in the community? Email details of the project to the Editor ashtynm@caxton.co.za
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