The handover took place at The Restaurant at Neethlingshof Wine Estate, in Stellenbosch.
This effort is part of the total StreetSmart allocation of over R1 million for 2020, distributed nationally to 38 programmes working with children at risk.
The three Stellenbosch beneficiaries are Home from Home, providing safe care for orphans and vulnerable children through a network of small family homes in Kayamandi and Cloetesville, Pebbles Projects, facilitating an after-school programme for children of farm workers, and Stellumthombo, that runs early intervention literacy, reading and mentorship programmes for primary school pupils in Cloetesville.
StreetSmart is a community initiative that raises funds for programmes that support social normalisation of vulnerable and street children, making a real difference to their lives, in partnership with restaurants, accommodation establishments and wine tasting venues.
Funds are raised by adding a R5 donation to each patron’s bill. This donation is voluntary and donors are able to contribute more if they wish to.
With this generous gesture, StreetSmart establishments and their guests are real change makers in their own communities.
“I got to know StreetSmart at Rust en Vrede Restaurant and in my travels in the hospitality industry over many years, I have introduced StreetSmart to run in the restaurants’” said Allan Ware, manager of The Restaurant at Neethlingshof Wine Estate.
“It is such a simple, easy way to contribute to children’s lives. We don’t have to do a lot – it is a little bit of administration and all the money that the guests put onto their bill, gets paid over at the end of the month. StreetSmart is a fabulous opportunity for the hospitality industry as a whole to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children. We are glad to be part of it.”
Judy Brower of wine.co.za had this to say: “We are passionate about making a difference in the lives of vulnerable children through our efforts to raise funds for StreetSmart SA at wine.co.za. We challenge all restaurants and wineries to implement StreetSmart SA at their establishments – it is so easy, and every R5 counts.”
Jordan Restaurant, Kunjani Wines, Majeka Kitchen, Rust en Vrede Restaurant, The Green Goose Eatery, The Happy Oak, The Restaurant at Neethlingshof and wine.co.za have embraced the StreetSmart initiative to make a difference in their community.
“With the help of our generous supporters, StreetSmart continues to stand out as an important conduit of much needed funding for our beneficiary organisations. In spite of current financial pressures making it harder for people to donate, StreetSmart will be disbursing over R1 million to beneficiaries nationally for the sixth consecutive year, enabling us to support 38 programmes.
“We are so excited to be able to continue this work through responsible giving and we invite restaurants, accommodation establishments and wine tasting venues to become StreetSmart in their local communities,” says Melanie Burke, chairperson of StreetSmart SA.
StreetSmart SA was set up in 2005 by a group of concerned Capetonians under the patronage of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and comprises resourceful board members representing business, and the hospitality and tourism industries. Similar StreetSmart organisations also run independently in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and The Netherlands.
StreetSmart SA is registered as a Public Benefit Organisation as well as a Non-profit Organisation and ensures that every cent donated by guests goes towards social and educational upliftment projects for street children. StreetSmart’s goal is to be part of the process of social normalisation and to encourage the public not to give money into the hands of a child as this keeps them on the streets. In essence, donating to StreetSmart where you eat, drink and sleep is the responsible way to help a street child.
For more information or to make a donation, contact StreetSmart SA at 021 447 3227, info@streetsmartsa.org.za or visit www.streetsmartsa.org.za
