Volunteer
We know, we said you wouldn’t have to break a sweat. And you don’t. Volunteering doesn’t necessarily mean painting walls or landscaping a garden. You can also donate your time and even a little bit of money doing simple things. Especially during this lockdown, there are many organisations, individuals and charities that could certainly do with a little assistance. Click here to see how you can volunteer during the lockdown/pandemic.
Donate Used Goods
It is winter and we are all feeling it down to our bones. But not everyone is able to simmer in a warm bath, pile on the blankets, fill up the hot water bottles and sip on hot cocoa. But we can help these people by donating old warm clothes, shoes, blankets and socks. You can also donate old home-ware, appliances and even toys. Just collect anything you no longer use and drop it off at one of your nearest charity stores, SPCAs or NPOs. Click here for a few suggestions.
Donate Blankets
Animals get cold, too. So, this Mandela Day, donate old blankets and towels to your favourite animal shelter or SPCA to ensure that their animals will be warm this winter. Don’t have any old blankets to donate? No sweat! Pep sells an assortment of blankets for as little as R30*. Or, you can get grey Marlton’s dog blankets from Takealot for just R74*. You can even buy in bulk to keep more than one animal warm at once, click here to order the five-pack Pet’s Budget Blanket bundle for R430*. You’ll be sleeping a lot better at night, and the dogs and cats at the animal shelters will, too. A little kindness goes a long way!
Support Animal Shelters
Speaking of keeping fur babies warm during the winter, why not spend part of your 67 minutes doing what you can (given the circumstances) for the local animal shelters within the city? This can be anything from making a generous donation, providing their charity stores with unwanted goods that you no longer use, and just like we mentioned above, donate blankets. Here’s a few ways you can assist.
Become A Blood Donor
Blood donations are needed for patients who have blood diseases, need operations and who have suffered traumas. However, blood can be a scarcity in the winter months. This is because with outbreaks of colds and flu, many regular donors are unable to donate regularly. By donating just once, you can save up to three lives! Find out more and where you can donate blood here.
Become A Bone Marrow Donor
We all know how much Madiba loved kids. Unfortunately, many of these little treasures suffer from diseases that can only be cured with the help of matching blood marrow. You can register to be a bone marrow donor. All you need to do is give a sample of blood, which will be tissue-typed and added to a database. If you are matched, you’ll go for further testing and then donate to save a life. Join the South African Bone Marrow Registry here.
Become An Organ Donor
As with bone marrow, many children, and adults, are dying each year because of failing organs. The only thing that can save them is a healthy donor organ. You can register to become an organ donor and your organs can be used to save a life, even after you are gone. Find out more about the Organ Donor Foundation here.
Collect Change
Many charity organisations desperately need funds. While not all of us are able to donate a significant amount, we can still help. The concept is simple. Set a time limit, such as a year, get a tin and for the whole year collect all your change. At the end of the time limit, donate the change to your charity of choice. The amount really builds up over time.
Feed The Homeless
Whether humans or animals, there are many left starving in our city. Everyone can help them by collecting tins of food or other non-perishable items and donating them to orphanages, churches, old age homes or animal shelters.
