The Street Store SA is celebrating 10 years of changing lives, and over 1,000 stores have been activated globally to help destitute citizens shop with dignity!
South Africa (11 June 2024) – For the past few weeks, the Street Store team has been gearing up to host winter stores in Cape Town and Johannesburg. The Cape Town store was launched this morning and the Joburg store will be hosted on the 22nd of June 2024, at the Salvation Army.
Street Store SA was launched 10 years ago, and the concept is being celebrated for changing so many lives! The Street Store is an amazing concept that welcomes destitute citizens to shop for clothing at no expense to themselves, all the while allowing them to retain their dignity and select items of clothing that are perfect for them. The perfect fit and the perfect style which speaks to them as a person.
The Street Store is the world’s first rent-free, premises-free, ‘pop-up clothing store’ for the destitute, found entirely on the street and stocked by donations. This initiative is based on the notion that those in need can shop at The Street Store for suitable clothing items – at no cost.
Copywriter Kayli Levitan and her colleague, Max Pazak, from M&C Saatchi Group South Africa, founded The Street Store in 2014. The initiative’s success has been extraordinary since its inception; thousands of Street Stores have been held globally in more than 210 cities. It is estimated that millions of items have been donated, helping almost half a million people in need.
In partnership with the Salvation Army, there will be a store in Johannesburg later this month, and The Haven Night Shelter in Cape Town has seen its store open this morning. Mike Abel, who is at the Cape Town store today, shared a few snaps of the store all set up and ready for “shoppers”.
With winter here and feeling colder than ever, giving destitute people the chance to select warm clothing, is giving people a chance to get through the cold.
“Homelessness is a global issue. It is estimated that 140 million people are homeless worldwide. And as the grip of the cost-of-living crisis takes a stronger hold, more people are in-need today than ever before.
The Street Store, a response to this global pandemic, is the world’s first rent-free, premises-free, free pop-up clothing store for the homeless and those in need.
This year, the Street Store celebrates its 10th Anniversary, an incredible milestone for an initiative that was founded on the streets of Cape Town. To date, more than 1000 Street Stores have taken place in more than 60 countries across the globe and which have gone on to clothe and support more than 1 million people.
We are calling on you, your family, friends, acquaintances and neighbours, to clean out your closets and donate your functional and pre-loved clothing and/or for you to volunteer at our 10th Anniversary Street Stores”
If you missed the Cape Town one, stay tuned to the Facebook page here for future stores. But Joburgers still have a chance to get involved in the upcoming store on the 22nd of June.
- CAPE TOWN (The Haven Night Shelter): Tuesday, 11 June
- JOBURG (The Salvation Army): Saturday, 22 June – https://fb.me/e/44YXX51H1
For donations, drop off clothing at the M&C Saatchi Group South Africa and M&C Saatchi Abel campuses or at the venue on the day. To volunteer on the day, please contact 011 268 6388 (JHB).
by 