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www.thevillagenews.co.za
3 June 2020
Just Care keeps caring J
ust Care Aftercare in Mount Pleasant, which provides a safe haven for approximately 130 local primary school children in the afternoons, has had to find different ways of supporting their young charges and their families during the lockdown. Founder and trustee Jacquie Rathfelder, with the support of fellow trustees, staff members and several volunteers, has been doing everything in her power to provide necessities for these households. As an NPO, Just Care does not receive any subsidy from the government and is very dependent on donations and fundraisers. Unfortunately, due to the lockdown, their two biggest fundraising events, the annual Golf Day and the Joburg Ballet performances, had to be cancelled. Which is why they are more than grateful for the assistance they have received from their volunteers, local organisa-
tions such as Food4Love, Overstrand Disaster Management and HAWS, as well as generous members of the Hermanus community who have supported them with donations. Food packages, sandwiches, soup mixes, fruit and vegetable parcels, pet food, warm clothes, educational materials, sanitary products and baby nappies are among the much-needed items that are distributed to the Just Care children and their families on a regular basis. Just Care’s champion volunteer, Les Clark, has also been sewing cloth face masks since the lockdown began and more than 400 masks, for adults and children, have been handed out for free to anyone who needs a mask. “We have the best group of volunteers backing us – we salute you!” says Marlinda Wright of Just Care. As schools start reopening this week,
Just Care will be intensifying efforts to help the children with their school work by preparing worksheets and workbooks that will be delivered to them at their homes. The trustees and staff are also very grateful to have been approved for assistance by the Red Cross, which will be supplying stationery packs for the children as they go back to school. “What a wonderful help this will be for the children and their families in this difficult time,” says Marlinda. “We would like to thank everyone who has showered us with generosity and care, putting us in a position to make a real difference in the lives of these families. But the need is great and we need your continued support, prayers and donations – of any kind.” Marlinda can be contacted on 083 484 1871 or justcare@whalemail. co.za. Visit www.justcare.us
ESSENTIAL SERVICES – WE ARE OPEN
PHOTOS: Marlinda Wright ABOVE: Founder and trustee of Just Care Jacquie Rathfelder, with some food parcels for the Just Care children. ABOVE RIGHT & RIGHT: Thanks to volunteer Les Clark, the children and their families have been receiving face masks.
