StreetSmart SA, a Public Benefit Organisation which collects monies from R5 donations paid by patrons at participating restaurants, has been affected in doing its good work in caring for Street Children by the Corona Virus Lockdown, as no restaurants have been permitted to trade in the past two months.

In order to continue its good work, needed even more so during these difficult times, the organisation has launched an interim ‘Dine In. Do Good!’ campaign, encouraging home diners to donate R150 per month (R5 per day), or even more to StreetSmart SA until restaurants reopen.

‘With so many of us at home cooking more meals than usual and eating in, we call on everyone to support ‘Dine in. Do Good!’ to help us continue funding skills training and family reunification programmes for vulnerable children. Donors can rest assured that every cent raised will go to our beneficiaries and will not be used for any StreetSmart operational expenses. You are of course welcome to give more, and we hope with gratitude, that you are able to do so,’ said Melanie Burke, Chairperson of StreetSmart SA. .

With StreetSmart hospitality partners under lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic, no funds can be raised through the usual way of adding a R5 donation to the bills of their patrons. To continue raising funds in support of beneficiary organisations working with vulnerable children and their families, StreetSmart SA is appealing to everyone who would usually donate at partner establishments, to continue doing so while dining at home.

‘Every cent raised via ‘Dine in. Do good!’ will help to bring financial stability to struggling organisations, enabling them to maintain their social worker programmes and keep rendering services to children in need long after the lockdown, when the psycho-social needs in communities would have escalated as a result of the pandemic’, states the organisation.

‘Our hearts go out to our partners in the hospitality industry and we can only hope that they will be able to reopen soon and resume their operations’, added Burke. 

StreetSmart SA has raised R11,6 million in aid of 31 organisations caring for street children and those at risk of living on the streets, through partnerships with restaurants, accommodation establishments, and wine tasting venues in the Western Cape, Garden Route, and Gauteng in the past fifteen years. 

Donations can be made to the StreetSmart SA bank account at Nedbank Foreshore Branch Number 108 309, Account Number: 108 33444 39; Swift code: Ned SZA JJ, with DIDG and your cell phone number as your reference.

For more information, contact StreetSmart SA at Tel: 0826581442 email info@streetsmartsa.org.za or visit www.streetsmartsa.org.

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein