A TOTAL of 200 homeless people have recently received winter essentials in an effort to bring comfort to Port Elizabeth’s cold nights.
This is thanks to an annual collaboration between Love Story, a local non profit organisation, and supply chain solutions provider, CHEP.
The homeless people were blessed with blankets, scarves, beanies and a warm meal.
According to founder of Love Story, Elaine Watson, the streets of PE are becoming a gradually more hostile place for the homeless, as winter sets in.
“In 2012, we established a soup kitchen in the city centre, and within a few months we were feeding over 200 men, women and children five nights a week.
“Through our more than 20 soup kitchens across the city, we serve an average of 30 000 meals every month,” Watson said.
Love Story seeks to meet the needs of the city’s destitute through feeding schemes and poverty alleviation projects.
However, it takes many helping hands to keep this non-profit organisation going and one of their long-term partners is CHEP.
According to Tonia van Jaarsveld, local CHEP CSR coordinator, they believe that it takes corporates, families, religious organisations and individuals to nurture a society and they want to play their part.
Van Jaarsveld added, “We live and work within the Port Elizabeth community and we know the needs in the city. Therefore we do not merely make a corporate donation, though that is part of how we help, but our staff are passionate about this project – so they raise funds, prepare meals and personally serve at the Love Story soup kitchens.”
Both Watson and Van Jaarsveld are encouraging other corporates to consider supporting the cause.
Jaarsveld commented, “Love Story brings real hope to the most destitute in our community – let’s remind ourselves again that we really are the friendly city.”
