April was spent launching our COVID-19 food and Baby Bag appeal.
Due to the COVID-19 Crisis and the fact that pre-school children could not go to school, we had to close down our educare centres and crèches. We were painfully aware that most of the children at our centres received the mainstay of their food from us and were now not receiving food at all. Many of their parents had lost their jobs and the situation was dire. Most of the new moms at Somerset Hospital and the communities we support around Cape Town were leaving the hospital with nothing at all for their newborn babies.
Energy was put into mobilising all our resources and we immediately started collecting funds for our children, their families, the community members and the new moms. We have been distributing family food packs, community food packs and baby bags to the children from our crèche’s, the 6 communities we are assisting around Cape Town and moms from Somerset Hospital and surrounding communities ever since and will continue to do so for as long as we possibly can.
July was a busy month for us at the UJW, we partnered with some incredible NGO’s to raise funds to carry on feeding and supporting the members of the Cape Town community we had been helping.
We were so grateful to have been chosen by Mensch as a beneficiary for their COVID-19 and beyond campaign. Our first event was a Zoom cook-a-long which was an incredible success, thanks to Jodi Ramsay and Gina Flash for organising such an inspiring event. People from all over the world, joined together to cook one of Madiba’s favourite dishes — all of this to honour Mandela Day and collect funds to help feed our very hungry nation. We look forward to working with Mensch again in the near future.
July also saw the UJW collecting for the amazing One to One event. UJW has proudly supported the One to One Fair for the intellectually disabled annually for the past 38 years. We supply thousands of cupcakes which are generously donated by our community and bring a smile to all those that receive them. Due to COVID-19, the fair has been cancelled this year. One to One has decided to assist by distributing ‘Health Packs’ to all the families of the people who would have attended the Fair. The packs consist of water, hand sanitizer, face cloths and/or handtowels, soap and rice. UJW collected ‘cakes’ of soap instead of cupcakes and we are so grateful to have collected 1570 for them.
We put out an appeal for wool and knitters to support our Baby Bag project and blanket project. The response has been very positive but there is an ongoing need so if this is something that interests you we would appreciate your contribution.
August being National Women’s month, we launched a Facebook tribute showcasing UJW women of the past, UJW beneficiaries, our local heroes, women around the world making a difference with regards to COVID-19 and an awareness campaign highlighting the very important issue of Gender Based Violence.
And now it’s September and we are as motivated and committed to care for and support our community as ever before. It is only by coming together that we are able to help and uplift those in our community that need our help. Thank you Cape Town Community for supporting us and allowing us to continue our vital work.
Visit the Union of Jewish Women website, and follow UJW on Facebook
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