Mandela Day 2025

This Mandela Month, The Hope Exchange invites you to help us continue our vital work in transforming the lives of those experiencing homelessness. Your support can make a real difference in helping our clients find their way off the streets.

Why Your Support Matters

Many of the items we need may seem small or “trivial,” but they are essential to our daily operations and the dignity of those we serve. The costs of basic necessities like toiletries, cleaning supplies, and food are the most challenging to fund, yet they are crucial for us to keep our doors open and our services accessible. At the bottom of this page, you will find a full list of items we would appreciate.

How You Can Help

Basic Toiletries

Every weekday morning, we open our ablution facilities for people living on the street. They can wash themselves and their clothing, and we provide essential toiletries such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and more. These visits are often the first step in engaging clients with our social care team, opening opportunities for change.

Cleaning Products

Our service centre hosts between 60 and 80 clients daily, and maintaining a clean, welcoming environment is vital. We constantly need cleaning supplies to keep our facilities safe and hygienic. Our second-phase shelter, Geoff Burton House, also benefits from these supplies, supporting men who are working towards independence. All our clients assist in cleaning as part of taking responsibility for their surroundings and own wellbeing. 

Non-Perishable Food

While we partner with Ladles of Love to provide meals during sessions, we always need non-perishable food items, tea, and coffee. Our residents in Geoff Burton House occasionally need food support as they save for their future deposits for own accommodation. Additionally, some clients rely on our medical lockers to store essential medications, which often require accompanying small meals.

Monetary Donations

For just R67 a month – equivalent to Mandela Day’s 67 minutes – you can support a client’s daily ablution visit. We welcome both monthly and one-time donations to help sustain our operations. Your contribution ensures we can keep our doors open and continue providing critical services.

Get Involved  

• Set up a R67 monthly donation or give once-off donation. We appreciate any help received. 
• Organize a collection drive this Mandela Day for toiletries, cleaning products, or non-perishable food from friends, family, or colleagues. Drop-offs are welcome on Mandela Day or any weekday close to.

We’d love to give you a tour of our facilities – please contact Marie at marie@thehopeexchange.org to arrange a visit or for any questions.

Together, we can make Mandela Day a day of real impact. Thank you for your support!