Shoprite and Checkers customers raise R200k to help drought victims
Shoprite and Checkers customers have helped raise R200,000 for drought-stricken communities across South Africa since March 2016, which will be used to drill new boreholes, refurbish broken ones, as well as to support recovery efforts in severely affected communities.
The Gift of the Givers Foundation, as well as Agri SA, two organisations that have coordinated some of the strongest responses to the drought crisis to date, have partnered the Shoprite Group to ensure that the generous donation of many South African’s make a real, practical impact in the communities most affected by the drought.
The Shoprite Group has a long history of reaching out to communities affected by disasters. The group had already donated more than a half a million litres of water to various towns in the Free State, North West and KwaZulu-Natal since February this year.
Till point donation facility
When customers started enquiring about how they could get involved, the retailer quickly introduced a till-point donation facility called the #ActForChange Fund to give customers an opportunity to respond accordingly. Customers are able to donate to the fund by adding R5 or more to their purchases at any Shoprite or Checkers till point across the country.
For Neil Schreuder, marketing director of Shoprite, customers nationwide have demonstrated their desire to #ActForChange through their generous donations. “Each donation is critical as it serves to bolster the work already being done to address the impact of the drought. We would like to say a huge thank you to all of our customers who donated. Each small donation goes a long way in effecting change.”
The establishment of the #ActForChange Fund has made it easier for ordinary people to make a difference in their local communities. Responding to the devastating drought is just one example of how the fund will be used to support local communities. Going forward, the fund will specifically focus on alleviating hunger in local communities in partnership with FoodBank South Africa. This is in line with the Shoprite Group’s core focus on Fighting Hunger across South Africa.
You can still #ActForChange in your local community by simply donating R5 or more at any Shoprite or Checkers till point across the country.
