The Jacaranda FM and SPAR Carols by Candlelight raised R300,000 to give 2,500 vulnerable children the best Christmas this year.
Johannesburg, South Africa (11 December 2020) – Every year Jacaranda FM produces a Christmas concert that features some of South Africa’s most prominent names in music. This year the annual SPAR Carols by Candlelight concert attracted over 250 000 viewers from around the world, some as far afield as Canada, India, and Central Africa. The event raised a massive R309 747, surpassing the R250 000 goal needed to gift the beneficiaries.
“The concert aims to unite South African’s in festive cheer and generosity, but moreover to spread that cheer to corners of our country where vulnerable children are not so fortunate,” says Deirdre King, Managing Director of Jacaranda FM.
Jacaranda FM, the Good Morning Angels team together with SPAR will use the funds raised through generous donations to buy toys for 2 500 children from 11 homes across South Africa. This year, the beneficiaries are:
- SOS Children’s Village – Rustenburg Village, North West
- SOS Children’s Village – Nelspruit Village, Mpumalanga
- SOS Children’s Village – Pietermaritzburg Village, Kwa Zulu Natal
- SOS Children’s Village – Sekhukhune Social Centre, Limpopo
- SOS Children’s Village – Cape Town Village, Western Cape
- Child Welfare Tshwane, Gauteng
- Child Welfare Midrand, Gauteng
- Abraham Kriel Kinderhuis, Gauteng
- Look Forward Orphanage
- Juno Aurora Home, Gauteng
- The Hanna Charity, Gauteng
“Whatever our beliefs, I think we can all agree that our custom of gift-giving makes the recipient feel special and every child deserves to feel special over Christmas. This is why Spar Carol’s by Candlelight is such a special event for us.” Adds King.
Previously, this event was hosted in Gauteng and became a festive favourite with families in the area and surrounds.
“This year, the pandemic provided the opportunity to stream this heart-warming event to every corner of South Africa and beyond. We have the most generous people in this country, and I’m very inspired to see that the spirt of giving and helping those less fortunate is very much alive in South Africa,” – Pieter van Vuuren, SPAR Inland Advertising and Promotions Manager
Familiar Christmas carols sung by a collection of South Africa’s greatest music talent such as the Soweto Gospel Choir, Karen Zoid, Riana Nel, Tarryn Lamb, Swing City, Matthew Mole, Elandre´, Charlize Berg, Tashe´ Burger, Joe Black, and Zolani Mahola set the tone for a festive December.
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