Ladles of Love is inviting residents, families, schools, faith communities, local businesses, companies and neighbourhood groups of all suburbs in Johannesburg South and surrounding areas to become Hands-On Heroes by giving 67 minutes of practical service in support of 20 000 preschool children in under-resourced communities.

The event will take place at the Johannesburg EXPO Centre, Nasrec, on July 22.

All you have to do is book your spot, arrive on the day and use your hands to help make something that will support children, families and communities who need it.

All planning has been done by Ladles of Love, the venue and activities are in place and the beneficiaries have been identified. They just need people to get together and take part.

“Mandela Day should bring people closer to the needs around them,” says Danny Diliberto, founder of Ladles of Love. “There are children in our cities who need food, care and support to learn. Hands-On Heroes gives people a real way to help. You do not need to organise everything yourself. You just need to show up with your hands and your heart.”

At the events, volunteers will take part in hands-on activities that create practical support for children and communities.

In the Make Zone, participants will join the Sarmiethon sandwich-making challenge or pack nutrition boxes for preschools. In the Create Zone, they will make preschool posters, flashcards and activity workbooks. In the Craft Zone, volunteers will create teaching aids such as bean bags, puppets and veggie trucks. In the Grow Zone, they will build grow boxes with vegetable and herb seeds to support urban farmers supplying preschools with fresh produce.

The items made at the events will go to those who need them. Ticket sales also help feed children, with each ticket providing a child with two healthy meals a day for a month.

For local businesses and companies, Hands-On Heroes offers a meaningful Mandela Day staff activity without the pressure of planning from scratch. Teams can arrive together, take part in a shared volunteer experience and know their time and ticket contribution are going towards children who need support.
For families, it is a way to teach children that kindness is something we practise.

For churches, mosques, temples, schools and community groups, it is a chance to gather people around service and do something tangible for the city they live in.

Diliberto continued, “It is about people from across the city standing together for children who deserve to be fed, nurtured and given a better start. When communities come together, 67 minutes can mean much more than people realise.”

Ladles of Love is a registered non-profit that works year-round to feed, care for, and support underserved communities, with a strong focus on vulnerable children. What began in 2014 as a small soup kitchen has grown into a national movement that has served more than 48 million meals since 2020.

Mandela Day gives you a chance to step into that ongoing work and become a Hands-On Hero.

Event details:

• Johannesburg EXPO Centre, Nasrec, July 22

• Tickets: R300 per person

• Students and pensioners: R200

• Bookings: www.LadlesofLove.org.za

Group and corporate packages are available. Section 18A tax certificates and CSI affidavits apply to tickets and packages.