Christmas | sopkombuis

Dear Soup Kitchen Friends

It is said that Poverty doesn’t celebrate Christmas, BUT You can bring the magic of Christmas home to those who live in Poverty this Festive season…

One of the blessings of this time of year is the chance it gives us to connect with you, our friends. We had a happy and busy year here at the Soup Kitchen.

With your love and support we managed to provide 433 790 meals to our less fortunate children and elderly folk and we packed 116000 lunch boxes for our children year to date. We handed out 479 blankets to our children and 152 to our elderly folk. We clothed 150 children and 150 elderly folk in warm jerseys and winter socks. We saw 75 new registrations for participation in our Mahalah Shop initiative (our community upliftment project). We hosted 71 reading sessions in our library. We conducted 27 youth services and 38 prayer meetings year to date. Our vegetable gardens were given a breath of new life this year. All of the aforementioned was possible because you started a tradition of giving back to other less fortunate than you. Your love and kindness followed them throughout this year. We can’t always express our innermost appreciation as often as we want to, therefore we want to use this opportunity to tell you how much we appreciate all you do for us. Your love for our cause leaves a tradition with a future. You give our children and elderly folk hope…

Abandoned and neglected. Crumbling dreams and winds of what “isn’t” blow through the streets of a poverty struck neighbourhood Claremont situated in the western suburbs of Johannesburg. Many who are less fortunate and less able to celebrate Christmas this year, from those sleeping rough over the festive period to hungry children and elderly people living alone.

Christmas is a time for exchanging gifts, sharing food and spending time with family. While we plan to sit around our Christmas Tree every night this December, watching the beautiful white lights cast a glow around the room and gifts that are wrapped in brightly coloured, festive paper under the tree. OR As we dash around scooping up toys, buying gifts for our loved ones, planning our family festive meal and hanging twinkly lights all in preparation of Christmas. I want to remind you of the many children and elderly folk with so little. Or, in fact, nothing. They are the people who are forgotten and are unseen. Loneliness and poverty waiting to ruin Christmas for them.

Something happens inside of us when we give to those less fortunate than us at Christmas time. I know you believe in the festive spirit of joy, hope and peace. You can bring the magic of Christmas home to those who don’t have, through your kindness and love this festive season. Through your love and support you can make the magic of Christmas real…

Even the smallest gift donation makes a difference. The smallest gift at Christmas time makes such a huge difference. It allows Christmas to remain magical for the hundreds of poor children and elderly folk at Fred and Martie’s SoupKitchen.

We want to encourage you to start a Christmas tradition that gives back to others. Start spreading your love today!

Our soup kitchen has been providing a service to the community for over 40 years. Should you find it in your heart to assist us in any way possible you can contact Yolindie or Riaan Oberholzer on 0828546904/0827868517 or via e-mail at yolindie@sopkombuis.com. If you want to bless us with a tax-deductible donation or by becoming a sponsor. Fred and Martie’s SoupKitchen is a Section 21 company/ public charity and we can issue an IT18A certificate if required. We are proud of our 80% BEE status.

Included in Annexure A and B, attached hereto is a wish list for your ease of reference. Should you prefer to support us financially our bank details are as follows: Fred and Martie’s Soup Kitchen, Absa Bank Cheque Account, Account number 4041078559, Branch Code 630341. MONETARY DONATIONS are always Greatly appreciated. Your tax deductible contributions serve our most vulnerable children and elderly folk, not only during the festive season, but during all seasons of the year.

We can’t always express our innermost appreciation as often as we want to, therefore we want to use this opportunity to tell you how much we appreciate all you do for us. Your love for our cause leaves a tradition with a future. You give our children and elderly folk hope…

We look forward to hearing from you soon. We wish you and your loved one’s a blessed festive season and a prosperous new year.