A woman from the Netherlands got her family to clear their cupboards and brought a back filled with clothing donations for The Hope Exchange.
Cape Town, South Africa (16 March 2023) – The Hope Exchange helps the homeless and destitute of Cape Town access services that help them retain dignity. These include social care services that aims to improve the lives of those living on the streets, facilitates human development and leads to reintegration and reunification.
The work they do is vital and without the support of generous people, they would struggle. The team recently shared the heartwarming news about how a tourist from the Netherlands brought a big filled with clothing, and a few toys, which will go towards keeping people warm through winter.
The donor had once lived in South Africa, just minutes up the road from the Hope Exchange, and decided to rally her family into helping make a difference during a return trip.
“That is what we call commitment. A lady from the Netherlands used to live 5 min away from The Hope Exchange. She relocated back home but is now here on holiday. She had her whole family emptying their closets for things to give away. Then she took this huge bag to SA for us.
They also got sent teddies from the lady’s neices but as the organisation only works with adults, the team plan to pay that donation forward.
The stuffed cuties are from her nieces who selected them carefully to find new friends. So you know: When we get donations for kids, we forward them to organisations where it will have the most impact such as Christine Revell Children’s Home and St Anne’s Homes.”
The Hope Exchange runs several programmes to benefit the people within the city of Cape Town. One of the best ways to connect with the homeless population, is to offer services they need. From providing daily meals, to offering laundy and ablution facilities. Beyond basic necessities, there is a team of social workers who help with the more in-depth assistance required to reintergrate into society.
Clinic services can also be accessed, to make sure no-one goes untreated. The Hope Exchange partnered with St. John’s Ambulance and gets a visit from nurses every month who specialise in homeless care; they perform blood pressure tests, advise on nutrition, prescribe and give basic medication and refer more serious cases to the local hospital.
Along with temporary shelter, there are hundreds of ways the homeless are supported. The centre is often filled with visitors from all over the world, who wish to donate their time to helping others.
If you would like to find out how to support The Hope Exchange, you can check out the website here.
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