Many of us are fortunate to have an abundance of clothing, much of which sits in our cupboards and rarely sees the light of day. Yet, within our community, there is always someone less fortunate who could make good use of these items, especially as the seasons change and winter begins to settle over the Cape Winelands.
Earlier this year, the Val de Vie Foundation launched a pre-loved clothing drive, introducing new donation bins at The Yard Wellness Centre, Val de Vie Sports & Leisure Centre and Kinder Ark. Thanks to the generous support of Val de Vie Estate residents, these bins are rarely empty. Due to the high volume of donations, the collection schedule has shifted from every two weeks to weekly and sometimes even twice a week.
All donated items are collected and sorted by Nation Builder, the Val de Vie Foundation’s implementation partner, before being distributed to two Val de Vie Foundation beneficiary organisations: Huis Andrew Murray (HAM) and Athlone House of Strength (AHOS).
HAM provides daily care for 155 vulnerable children (aged 1–18) who have been orphaned or removed from parental care by the children’s court. AHOS offers a stable, caring and safe environment for abused and neglected women and their children. These pre-loved clothing items find a new and welcoming home in the hands of the vulnerable individuals supported by these two remarkable organisations.
To date, roughly over 230kg or approximately 46 black bags worth of pre-loved clothing have been donated and distributed. We extend our heartfelt thanks to every Val de Vie Estate resident who has contributed to this initiative.
If you would like to get involved, simply place your pre-loved clothing items or shoes into a Val de Vie Foundation-marked clothing bin located at The Yard Wellness Centre, Val de Vie Sports & Leisure Centre or Kinder Ark.
