Carlos Mesquita. File Picture: Brendan Magaar/Independent Newspapers
As a former homeless man and now activist and friend of those living on the streets, I am for the fourth year in a row going Homeless for Christmas. It’s that time of the year.
For the past three years in December, I have taken 10 of my previously homeless friends and gone back onto the streets for our “Homeless for Christmas” campaign and this year is no exception.
All three the previous campaigns have been a huge success. And this year it’s bigger than ever before.
Last year for example, we fed and handed out Care Packages to just over 300 people living on the streets of Sea Point, the Gardens, De Waal Park and Observatory but most importantly we also started wrapping up our Everybody Counts Cape Town campaign.
This campaign served to count and do in depth assessments of those living on the streets of Cape Town.
Last year we managed to collect R30 000 to make up and deliver Care Packages which include bare essentials for those living on the streets and someone donated the meals that we handed out as we went Homeless for Christmas.
This year, we return to the streets to celebrate what we have achieved this past year and build on it with Homeless for Christmas 2024.
We are again appealing to the general public to assist us in funding the Care Packages this year. You can contribute in cash or kind.
Last year, we visited all the wards in Cape Town, we counted 26 578 people living on the streets, did assessments with 12 423 individuals and helped 564 get free IDs.
We also handed out over 5 800 items of clothing, 2 000 blankets, 800 shoes and over 800 care packages, and we accommodated 96 homeless individuals into secure, safe, private, dignified and sustainable rooms through our rapid rehousing programme called restart.
This year sees us again visiting those living on the streets, delivering care packages, clothes and shoes as well as offering 60 individuals accommodation in 30 private, safe, dignified, affordable and sustainable rooms at 15 lodges across Cape Town’s wards.
Please support our plight to accommodate 60 homeless individuals in 30 private, lockable, safe rooms with support services.
* BANKING DETAILS: CM HOMELESS SOLUTIONS TYMEBANK 678910 NO.: 5300 1069 559 REF: HOMELESS FOR CHRISTMAS
* Mesquita is a previously homeless man and founder of Outsider, an organisation focused on enlightening people on homelessness and on accommodating those living on the streets in a dignified and sustainable manner.
Cape Argus
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