SpringsCare really cares

Established in 2010, it strives to reach, restore and equip the community of Springs and surrounding areas with the establishment of poverty relief programmes.

It also has a counselling centre, an Aids support group, a house of safety for abused women and children as well as a senior citizens club for the elderly.

“We believe to enable us to change our country, we need to take the plight of those living in poverty, and simply put to feed the hungry seriously,” says Pastor Andrew Minnie.

Feeding scheme

With the help of trained professionals they pack and distribute food packs which are cost effective, tasty and has all the nutrients a person needs.

Past Minnie adds they are able to provide the meals to local schools’ feeding schemes and other needy people at a cost of R2 per meal. These are packed as six meals for a total cost of R12 excluding transport, which makes it the most cost effective way of feeding the hungry.

The food is packed by volunteers at churches, schools and civic associations. There is very strict health and quality control.

Each meal contains four basic dehydrated components such as rice, vegetables, soy and a vitamin supplement, which when added to water, become a fantastic meal that will feed six people.

House of Hope

House of Hope is a place of safety for women and children who are victims of domestic, physical and emotional abuse or violence.

“We are guided by the needs of the women and children by focusing on strengthening them to the point where they are able to end the abusive relationship. Thus to enable them to rebuild their self esteem, healing and assisting them in becoming more assertive and aware of their needs and rights,” says Reverend Scott Manning.

The house has various facilities available on site where these women are equipped and taught to be self-sufficient while learning new skills.

It can accommodate up to 20 women for a rehabilitation period of six months. Three meals are served per day and facilities are available for the children as well.

Soup kitchen

The SpringsCare Soup Kitchen provides soup and bread to the homeless and people living in poverty.

The kitchen is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

According to Rev Manning they are currently providing soup and bread for up to 80 people per day and are striving to be able to operate the kitchen every day.

The soup kitchen mainly operates on the caring services of volunteers and donations by individuals or corporate companies

Garden project

The garden project strives to teach and equip those who make use of the soup kitchen to plant, grow and harvest vegetable crops.

These vegetables are then handed over to the Camp Soup Kitchen in order to make and provide soup to the homeless or those living in poverty.

These skills are taught to empower people to start their own vegetable gardens in order for them to be self-sufficient.

The kitchen mainly operates on the caring services of volunteers and donations by individuals or corporate companies

Charity shop

The charity shop is a fundraising and skills development initiative where donated goods are being sold to the community.

Operating hours are Mondays to Fridays from 8am to 5pm.

Kusenethemba support group

The Kusenethemba Support Group was established in 2005, for people who have been infected by HIV/Aids as well as their families.

The group stands for hope, and encourages affected and infected individuals to attend monthly meetings, create awareness of the disease and to embrace those living with the disease in their communities.

Kusenethemba is represented by Trinity Methodist Church and Methodist churches in Tsakane, KwaThema and Duduza as well as St Matthews Methodist Church.

4C centre

The Christian Community Counselling Centre offers one-on-one counselling to individuals or families dealing with addictions, divorce, grief, prayer and spiritual guidance.

It also offers support groups for grief, cancer, divorce, single parent situations, abused women, adult children caring for elderly parents, depression, anxiety, trauma, families of addicts and parents of children with disabilities.

Courses and workshops that are run include parenting, basic Christian counselling courses, child and teen counselling courses as well as a teen life orientation course that focuses on spiritual and emotional consequences.

Community centre

SpringsCare recently took over the Senior Citizens Club and it is now the SpringsCare Community Centre.

“We give computer literacy classes, aimed at pensioners, there on Saturdays and we also pack meals for the underprivileged there,” says Past Minnie.

They also knit beanies for new born babies, which are delivered to the Far East Rand Hospital.

The club is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 1pm, and tea is available at approximately 10am. Lunch is served every day at a nominal charge and a menu is available on request.

These meals may be purchased as take-away meals by individuals or companies.

The club’s kitchen caters for any occasion from small parties to large functions in the intimate Herb Scarrott room or the main hall.

Other services provided include checking of blood pressure by a qualified nurse, exercise classes, foot care and the skills of a qualified hairdresser.

Past Minnie adds the library caters for a wide variety of interests and books may be taken home or be read in the comfortable sunroom.

Bingo, tile rummy, sing-a-longs, and bridge are popular pastimes while the day trips to various venues continue to attract many members.

He says there is also a Good Companions Club that meets every Wednesday to play cards, listen to guest speakers and storytelling.

Anyone interested in becoming a member can contact 011 811 1700.

“If transport is a problem, just contact us, we will be able to help you,” explains Past Minnie.