With just over four weeks to Christmas, many of us are immersed in our plans for the festive season, reveling in the thoughts about the happiness and good cheer that the festive season brings with it. Although many of us might be tightening our belts, celebrating Christmas with loved ones is an absolute given.
Let us take some time to spare a thought for some of our South African seniors. Many seniors have been abandoned by family, have limited income and with the state of the economy, are acutely feeling the pinch. Some of our pensioners have little to celebrate, are sad and confused, and symptoms of depression often go unrecognized. It is bad enough to be alone at any time, but Christmas is the worst.
Why not make it your goal to bring a smile to some of our lonely seniors by remembering them at this important time of year? YEI would like to introduce you to the following organizations, based in the Western Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal, who are bringing, or have brought, Christmas cheer to seniors in need:
The Robin Hood Foundation – based in Kwa-Zulu Natal
“Taking from the rich and giving to the poor”
Make a Difference this Christmas
This is your invitation to get involved. Be a part of the Christmas magic by making the wishes of a senior citizen come true. This Christmas the Robin Hood Foundation will, once again, conduct their Bless-A-Granny campaign. They will be visiting 22 homes at tea time and taking each resident of those homes a gift as well as some scrummy treats to eat.
This is how you can be involved:
- Provide a generic gift for a granny or grandpa (suggested maximum amount: R125)
- E-mail Robin Hood and request the name of a specifically selected granny or grandpa and their wish list.
- Join the group of people who will be visiting the grannies and grandpas.
- Provide entertainment for these special elderly guests.
If you would like to participate in this Christmas project, contact:
Kim Jones – Co-ordinator, The Robin Hood Foundation
Tel: 076 612 9060
Email: robinhoodfund@telkomsa.net
Website: www.robinhoodfoundation.co.za
Grandparent Giftathon – based in the Western Cape
A ‘Grandparent Giftathon’ was initiated by Caroline de Gruchy, modelled on the Santa Shoebox project, to collect small Christmas gifts for Seniors who are members of Ikamva Labantu’s 600 members of their 17 clubs in the Western Cape townships.
The project was featured in community newspapers and the target has been met for this year, as the response was fantastic! Caroline would like to grow the project over the years to include as many Seniors as possible living on government pension (R1 200,00 per month) in the Western Cape and hopes to do two charity drives a year – one for Christmas gifts and the other for blankets, scarves, gloves, mittens and socks in winter.
If you would like to get involved with this fabulous project in 2013 in any of the following ways – by donating, volunteering your time, co-ordinating drops, knitting, wrapping and/or packing please contact Caroline direct:
Contact details:
Caroline de Gruchy
Tel: 082 462 6227
Email: caroline@skyweb.co.za