To alleviate homelessness in the Western Cape, U-turn Homeless Ministries is urging people to support their upcoming event, “A Night on the Street” next month.
Together with BMW Constantia, the event will bring together well-known politicians and business people to spend the night sleeping on the pavement in Claremont.
As the cold and wet winter months draw near, this initiative seeks to raise vital funding to assist U-turn's work while bringing attention to the urgent problem of homelessness.
According to Valerie Govender of U-turn Homeless Ministries, homelessness is an increasing problem in South Africa and requires cooperation from everyone.
She says by experiencing even a fraction of what homeless individuals endure every night, they hope to inspire empathy, understanding, and action among participants and the broader public.
“During the night on the cold pavement with just the bare minimum, participants will gain firsthand experience of the challenges faced by those living on the streets, including exposure to the elements, discomfort and vulnerability,” Govender explains.
“Through this immersive experience, U-turn aims to foster empathy and ignite a collective commitment to raising funds to overcome homelessness.”
Govender says U-turn aims to gather much-needed funds through this campaign with a focus on blankets and canned food, which will make a difference as winter sets in.
However, she didn’t reveal who any of the participants would be braving the cold.
“We encourage members of the public, businesses, work teams, churches and schools to start their collections and support us on the evening by dropping off their items,” Govender says.
There will be a special collection point will be set up at BMW Constantia, 215 Main Road, Claremont.
There is also the option of a virtual event, for which tickets can be purchased through Quicket, to include everyone passionate about helping those who are homeless.
Contact Valerie at 0216746119 for more information.