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CCID gears up for winter “Show You Care” campaign

by CCID

The CCID’s Social Development department is gearing up to roll out its winter “Show you care” campaign aimed at raising public awareness about the plight of homeless people during the colder months.

Due to commence in June, the winter campaign focuses on encouraging members of the public to make a difference by supporting NGOs in and around the Cape Town CBD that work with people living on the street. It also aims to raise awareness about the work carried out by the CCID’s Social Development team which engages with the Central City’s most vulnerable individuals and forms partnerships that will alleviate the CBD’s own challenges.

Says Pat Eddy, manager of CCID Social Development: “Street people face numerous challenges all year round. However, Cape Town’s cold and wet winter is a particularly tough time for our homeless community. Through the campaign, we will once again be calling on members of the public to spare a thought for the most vulnerable during this time by donating generously; this could be either through donations of money or warm clothing, food, toiletries and shoes.

“The primary partners that we work with in the Central City include The Homestead, Ons Plek, Youth Solutions Africa, The Carpenter's Shop, Khulisa Social Solutions, Straatwerk, U-turn Homeless Ministries, The Haven, and TB HIV Care. And while we encourage donations to be made towards our partners, this shouldn’t stop individuals from showing they care within their own communities or lending a hand directly to organisations that assist those in need. The most important thing is to show you care and this forms the basis of everything the CCID’s social development team does.”

A number of the NGOs with whom the CCID works closely, look to assist adults living on the streets with shelter (when it is available), as well as food and other social services, while others ensure that children are afforded the necessary care and protection.

Pat adds: “Over the years, our winter ‘Show you care’ campaign has helped our partners enormously through monetary contributions as well as clothing, food, toiletries and other essentials and we hope to once again garner the much-needed support and help for our homeless community during this tough period.

“And to respond to the question that keeps coming up in which members of the public tell us they want to offer assistance but don’t know how, the CCID will once again roll out a special supplement in June with its quarterly community newspaper, City Views. This supplement will be a pull-out-and-keep mini-newspaper, called The Tough Times, and will provide detailed information on the ‘Show you care’ campaign as well as on the NGOs offering assistance, and will reveal the various easy ways for people to show they care.”

Image by Scott Arendse (CCID)