[imagesource:robbaird]

In times like these, when many of us are lucky enough to be dressed warmly with the heater working overtime, we should also think about those who aren’t as lucky.

It’s going to be, and will already have been, a torrid day for Cape Town’s homeless population. You’re probably not out there on the streets handing out food and blankets – if you are we salute you – but you can do your bit right now, whilst you’re staring at this screen.

There are many ways to get involved, but we’re going to point you in the direction of Buy A Bed, an initiative by the Haven Night Shelter.

It’s pretty simple:

We started the “Buy a bed” campaign to make The Haven Shelters more accessible for people living on the streets. Most homeless people know that they have to pay shelter fees starting from R12 per night. These shelter fees are not a goal it self but more that homeless adults learn to take responsibility again.

Sometimes homeless people use that as an excuse not to come to the shelter. With the “Buy a bed” campaign we encourage the community to cover their shelter fees for the first 5 nights and help us to be a sustainable organisation. The campaign is especially for a homeless person with no income. We have more than 2500 new clients per year. So your help is highly appreciated.

For R60 you can quite literally put a roof over someone’s head for five full days – that’s the price of that smashed avocado on toast, my friends.

Go on, click on the image below and be lekker – share that Cape Town love.

No, you can’t click ‘I’m interested’ and then forget about it Facebook style.

If you’re feeling extra generous, or would prefer to be a little more hands on, you could even volunteer.

Our customers need to be reminded that we still care for them and that they have a place in society. While donations help keep the doors open it is the personal touch of our Volunteers that breathe new energy and life into our Shelters.

Volunteers have the right to meaningful tasks and your contribution will be directed to the greatest benefit of the Shelter. You can volunteer your skills and time at a specific Haven Shelter or at Head Office, depending on where we have the need.

If you want to find out more about volunteering fill in THIS FORM, and they’ll get back to you with more information.

You can also check out Street Sleeper – they have some pretty dope ideas:

Street Sleeper is a Cape Town based initiative that uses innovation to tackle the social and environmental challenges facing the homeless community.

We upcycle advertising billboards destined for landfill into survival sleeping bags, transforming the negative impact of waste into immediate relief for those living on the street while promoting social upliftment through dialogue and storytelling.

An example of those survival sleeping bags:

R195 and someone has a sleeping bag to battle the conditions. You can find out more about that initiative HERE.

Be safe out there, friends.

[source:thehaven]