StreetSmart SA, an organisation dedicated to helping street children rebuild their lives through donations from restaurants in the Western Cape, Garden Route and Gauteng, has handed over R600 000 to their Cape Town beneficiaries for 2017. This is part of an allocation of over R1 million raised nationally for the third consecutive year by StreetSmart SA with the balance to be distributed in the other regions later this month.
The Cape Town beneficiaries are Cape Town Multi Service Centre, Home from Home - Masiphumulele, Ocean View and Westlake, Learn to Live, Ons Plek, T.L.C. Outreach Projects, and School of Hope – Thembalitsha Foundation.
There are currently 31 restaurants in Cape Town that have embraced StreetSmart’s vision to make a real difference to the lives of street children. Funds are raised by adding a R5 donation to each table's bill at participating restaurants. This donation is voluntary and diners are able to contribute more if they wish to.
“StreetSmart, through the work of our beneficiaries, provides opportunities to empower street children and other vulnerable children in our communities to live viable lives. Through the generosity of our restaurant partners and other supporters we are able to continue to expand our national footprint. For the third time in a row, StreetSmart will be disbursing over R1 million to beneficiaries nationally. We are so excited to be able to continue this work through responsible giving via StreetSmart restaurants.” says Melanie Burke, Chairman of StreetSmart SA.
Expressing her gratitude, Madeleine Thornhill, Principal of Learn to Live School of Skills, one of the selected StreetSmart beneficiaries for 2017, said: “I could write books about the impact that StreetSmart funding has on our children. What stands out for me is that our learners, who come from impoverished, gang invested areas with little to no hope of a better future, get an opportunity to escape from their environment. Through the life skills and vocational training that we offer, they have a chance of a better future. With basic skills in panel beating these young people can find employment and break the generational cycle of poverty in their families. Thank you so much!”
StreetSmart Restaurateurs and their diners are taking hands to make a difference in their communities. Nationally this partnership with 92 restaurants has raised more than R1 060 000 during 2016, for organisations that are actively involved with social development and rehabilitation of street children with the ultimate goal of family re-unification.
Harald Bresselschmidt and his team at Aubergine Restaurant have been participating since 2009. “We’re grateful to StreetSmart for providing a simple and easy way to contribute towards children in need. Many guests are happy to help, but not sure how and would rather channel donations through an audited organisation than give to kids on the street. R5 really is such a small amount to ask, but all the R5’s add up in the end to a substantial and helpful sum of money. We’re very happy to be able to play a small part in facilitating the valuable work that StreetSmart does,” said Bresselschmidt.
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, USA – San Francisco 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 diners 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, eating and donating at a StreetSmart restaurant is the responsible way to help a street child.
For more information or to make a donation, contact StreetSmart at Tel: +27.21 447 3227 email info@streetsmartsa.org.za or visit www.streetsmartsa.org.za.
Caption: (l-r) Rodney Abrahamse (Learn to Live), Madelein Thornhill (Learn to Live) Leonard Hersch (StreetSmart) with young boys from the Learn to Live panel beating programme