Winter is well on its way and that means many South Africans will be left out in the cold with nowhere to go. These are things you can do for the needy before full winter hits.
South African winters can be extremely cold, especially for those who are left to face the elements. Shelters are always reliant on donations to help them get through the cold season. Shelters offer a safe warm place for humans as well as animals.
We have compiled a list of things you can do to help out as the weather gets colder.
- Donate soup staples like beans, lentils, pearl barley, tinned tomatoes and stock to local shelters and feeding schemes. These items will always come in handy, especially because they are affordable and can go a long way to feeding lots of people.
Other handy items are rice, porridge, oats, lifelong milk, tea, coffee and sugar. Call the shelter or soup kitchen ahead of time to see what they need most or if they need any fresh produce. - Collect jackets, boots, socks, scarves, gloves and hats for shelters. These items will help keep the needy warm during the cold months.
- Help build a vegetable garden at soup kitchens that is perfect for winter. Planting hardy veg like squashes, leafy greens like spinach, onions, carrots and beetroots are great. Check out this helpful leaflet that tells you exactly when to plant winter veg in South Africa.
- Everyone has one or two blankets that just never get used. Find out where your local shelter or charity is and host a blanket party to collect unused blankets for the homeless and animals.
- You can purchase beds at Haven shelters across the Western Cape for the homeless, this means that if someone needs shelter but can’t pay the R12 fee, they will still get given a bed because you helped them.
- Toiletries are always needed. Bars of soap, razors, sanitary ware, deodorant, face cloths, toothbrushes and toothpaste are always welcomed as each person would get their own.
- Animal Shelters rely on food donations, but sometimes the animals get restless being cooped up on rainy days so chew toys and other means of entertainment are great donations. Towels and blankets are also great to donate to animal shelters.
- Call the SPCA if you see an animal living out in the cold. Animals should be given proper shelter and warmth during colder months, this includes strays. Ask them what should be done for the animal until they are able to come through and assess the situation.
- Birds and Bees are equally needy during the winter months as their food sources become smaller. To help out these tiny creatures, you can leave out the fur from your dog’s recent brushing, birds will collect the fur and use it to build warm nests. Having a bird feeder out is also a good option. For bees, winter-flowering plants such as Borage, Garden peas and Poppies will help them continue their honey-making and prevent hive starvation.
- All shelters, whether human or animal-focused, accept financial donations as well. They can use these funds to purchase anything they might need during the colder months. You can contact the shelter of your choice and help them out financially, we bet they would be incredibly grateful.
What have we missed? Tell us in the comment section what you do for the needy in winter and we will update our list.
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