As the festive season approaches, Protea Hotel by Marriott Johannesburg Balalaika Sandton is once again rallying the community behind its Balalaika Angel Tree initiative.

Launched on the week of November 17, the initiative supports 43 children from Seeds of Hope in Hillbrow. The home cares for children who have faced hardship early in life, and last year’s Angel Tree marked the first Christmas sponsorship many of them had ever received.

Merécia Kruger, head of marketing at Protea Hotel Johannesburg Balalaika Sandton, said: “It shifted something in all of us.

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Seeing their reactions made it clear that every child deserves to feel noticed. We realised we had to keep this going.”

Residents and businesses can take part in three ways:
• Picking a tag from the Angel Tree in the hotel lobby and buying a child-specific gift,
• Donating essentials, such as toiletries, socks, soap, or sanitary items, or
• Making a monetary contribution for the hotel team to shop on their behalf.

Kruger stressed that this is not a corporate promotion. “It’s people choosing to show up for children who need to know they’re not forgotten.” The hotel hopes to expand the project to more homes in the future.

Anyone interested can visit the Balalaika to collect a tag or drop off donations throughout the holiday season.

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