The decision to branch out from a purely restaurant driven campaign developed organically at the request of owners of wine farms, guest houses and hotels who expressed interest in becoming involved and joining the StreetSmart SA community. In addition to the 94 restaurants throughout South Africa where patrons can make a voluntary R5 donation added to their bill, guests at an increasing number of wine tasting rooms, B&B’s, guest houses and hotels are now also able to make a contribution. All funds raised support organisations working with street children within the area where the establishments are located.
StreetSmart SA is a conduit fundraising organisation that partners with restaurants, accommodation establishments and wine tasting rooms, to receive donations from diners and guests to support their own locally based beneficiary organisations. In this way locally run programmes that prevent the vulnerable from becoming street children, and help those already on the streets through reintegration back into schools or families, can be funded.
Last year, StreetSmart restaurants and their diners raised over R1,12 million nationally. The Top 5 Contributing restaurants were: Savoy Cabbage (Cape Town), raising R113,965, La Mouette (Cape Town), who raised R95,322, Foliage (Franschhoek), raising R59,700, Chatters Bistro (Knysna), who raised R40,461. and Nonna Lina (Cape Town), who raised R40,020.
“Being in the top 5 is something I am extremely proud of. We engage our customers on StreetSmart at every opportunity, and this has resulted in some extremely generous donations from philanthropically minded guests.” says Caroline Bagley, owner of Savoy Cabbage, the top achieving restaurant in 2017.
Following in the wake of the Top 5 are restaurants such as Gold Restaurant (Cape Town), The Roundhouse (Cape Town), Jordan Restaurant (Stellenbosch), The Fat Fish (Plettenberg Bay), and Aubergine (Cape Town).
Every cent of the donations received in StreetSmart establishments goes to organisations that support vulnerable children through education, skills training and family reunification, in order to give them a chance to normalise their lives and to be re-integrated into society.
"Many drops make a river, and that is exactly how the generosity of so many people makes it possible for StreetSmart to literally change lives, R5 at a time, through our support of programmes that work towards normalising the lives of vulnerable children and those living on the streets. So, please become part of the StreetSmart partner network and give responsibly," says Melanie Burke, StreetSmart Chairman.
StreetSmart SA invites more restaurants, accommodation establishments and wine tasting centres to participate and more diners and guests to choose to go to StreetSmart establishments – in this way more children’s lives can be changed.
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, Germany 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, guests and patrons 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, frequenting and donating at a StreetSmart establishment is the responsible way to help a street child.
For more information or to make a donation, contact StreetSmart at Tel: 021 447 3227 email info@streetsmartsa.org.za or visit www.streetsmartsa.org.za. Be sure to follow them on @StreetSmartSA on Twitter and Facebook.