"It is always an extremely heart-warming experience to see the amazing response from the public who got on board this initiative to uplift their community and help those around them," says Gail Compton, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Tricolor, whose office operates in Westville, Pinetown and surrounds. "Essentially that's exactly what living within a community is all about - it's reaching out a helping hand and lifting up those who need it."
The goal of the RE/MAX Foundation is to have an ongoing impact on the lives of young people in particular and empower them to be the best that they can be. Currently the foundation supports a number of national beneficiaries and over 75 local charities around South Africa through various corporate social investment initiatives.
"Giving back to the local community and uplifting the next South African generation is central to the RE/MAX of Southern Africa brand philosophy," says Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX Southern Africa and director of the RE/MAX Foundation. "The children of today are the ones that are going to shape the future of tomorrow. We have a responsibility to ensure that our actions have a positive impact for future generations, our country and the local communities that we work and live in."
The public was invited to drop off children's toys and books at the local RE/MAX office in their area. To ensure that the local community benefits from the collections, each RE/MAX office got to nominate a charity, crèche or orphanage in their area of operation which would receive all the toys and books. "The reason for this is to ensure that those who choose to give will be supporting those in need in their local community. The campaign is about impacting positively on the area around you. So often people give to cause and then don't get to see the result of what they have done and the difference they have made, however an initiative like this allows those who participate to see the impact they are making," says Compton.
"Due to the fact that the public gave to the project so generously, a great number of children will be able to benefit from this initiative," adds Compton, whose office nominated CAST as their beneficiary.
Based in Westville, CAST is a non-profit organisation with a mission to empower local churches in various communities to reach out to people caught in poverty, unemployment, needing counselling support and services and basic literacy. One of the communities CAST is active in is Chesterville. "Working alongside WCF and City Hill church, we support at least 60 families with monthly food parcels. Most of these families are unable to access social grants, are child-headed households or have members with HIV who are unable to work. Many of these families are struggling to make ends meet and don't have the capacity for luxuries such as toys, books and puzzles," says Janine Pepper, spokesperson for CAST, "The wonderful collection of toys, books, puzzles donated through the RE/MAX Foundation will go a long way in brightening the lives of children in the community."
With winter here, Compton says that her office will now focus on the next RE/MAX Foundation drive which is the 'Coats and Cans' initiative. RE/MAX Tricolor will be collecting both warm clothes and food from 5 May to 20 June 2014. Donors can drop donations at either of their offices: 26 Westville Junction, Westville Road, Westville or 188 Old Main Road, Cowies Hill, Pinetown.
