Veronica Roberts, a community volunteer at Mustadafin Foundation extends a helping hand during their ongoing winter drive to hand out warm meals, blankets and clothing items to impoverished communities around the Western Cape. | Supplied
The Mustadafin Foundation, a non-profit organisation that aids homeless shelters by providing blankets and food, is seeking intervention amid anticipated extreme winter weather.
It is explained that since May, the foundation, based in Cape Town, has been responding to numerous winter weather call-outs, supporting approximately 4 000 people annually through their winter drive.
The organisation is urging the public to donate essential items such as clothing, blankets, and food items.
The director of Mustadafin, Ghairunisa Johnstone-Cassiem, stresses the importance of the donations in enabling the organisation to keep helping individuals in need.
“We are only halfway through winter, yet we have already had nearly as many call-outs as we did all of last year. This is particularly concerning because we are currently operating with limited resources. With more extreme weather anticipated in the coming months, your donations are crucial to helping us continue providing support.
“Currently, our most urgent requirements are clothing items, blankets, food items, and financial support.
“On average, about 4 000 people receive support from Mustadafin every year from their winter drive. Additionally, Mustadafin feeds 27 910 recipients daily and is completely reliant on donations and funding to provide support to communities.
“Leading up to Mandela Day this year, we encourage you to support us so that we can continue our winter relief efforts and food distribution drives. Everyone deserves a roof over their heads and a daily warm meal,” says Johnstone-Cassiem.
He says that chilly winter months are dreaded by many people who reside in underdeveloped, underprivileged areas, as it usually means fighting a never-ending battle to be warm and dry and worrying about the next cold front that can destroy homes.
In response to recent cold fronts that left many stranded outside in the cold with little to no food, the towns of Manenburg, Vygieskraal in Athlone, and Strand have received the most calls for assistance.
Some of the areas benefiting from Mustadafin’s winter drive include rural communities in Ceres, Laingsberg, Touwsriver, Beaufort West, Zoar, Worcester, Hopefield, Suurbrak, Montagu, Ashton, Robertson, and Grabouw.
The foundation also supports and assists homeless shelters by providing blankets and feeding ingredients to local shelters.
The Star
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za
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