For millions of South Africans, a happy Christmas means simply having something to eat.
Understanding this, SPAR’s ‘A Christmas Like No Other’ campaign brought thousands of meals to women and children in need. Through this initiative, SPAR and SPAR2U travelled across the country, spreading joy, warmth, and festive cheer, while delivering R2 million worth of groceries and essentials.
In early November, SPAR invited customers nationwide to nominate local NGOs, charities, or safe homes they believed deserved support. From these nominations, two charities per province were selected to receive food deliveries tailored to bring joy and sustenance over the Christmas period.
“Christmas is a time of giving and sharing. Although The SPAR Group and many of our independently-owned stores support numerous causes throughout the year, we aimed to make this holiday season truly special,” says Mpudi Maubane, National PR, Communications & Sponsorship Manager at The SPAR Group. “This campaign is a reflection of the compassion and generosity that connects us to the communities we serve.”
Eighteen (18) charities and safe homes across South Africa’s nine provinces, primarily supporting women and children, received customised grocery deliveries complete with nourishing food, daily essentials and Christmas treats. The selected charities included:
– The King’s Children’s Home – Eastern Cape
– Giving Gifts to Newborn Babies – Eastern Cape
– Dorothy Broster Child and Youth Care Centre – Western Cape
– Safe Home for Women – Western Cape
– Bophelo Youth & Child Care Centre – Northern Cape
– Sinothando Kids Haven – Northern Cape
– Lebone Village – Free State
– Reddersburg Kinderhuis – Free State
– Vaal Echoes of Love – Gauteng
– The Eldorado Park Women’s Forum – Gauteng
– SAVF Lichthuis Tehuis & Behuising – North West
– Lebone Women Empowerment – North West
– Huis Betlehem – Mpumalanga
– SOS Children’s Village – Mpumalanga
– ThyRest – Limpopo
– Hlatlaganya Drop-in Centre- Limpopo
– Makabongwe Pre-School – KwaZulu Natal
– Ithemba Lethu – KwaZulu Natal
Each delivery was curated based on a wish list provided by the charities, ensuring the donations met the unique dietary and nutritional needs of recipients. Essential staples such as rice, pasta, maize meal, cereals, milk, and cooking oil were included to offer sustenance and practical support. To add festive cheer, treats like biscuits, chocolates, and Christmas desserts were also included.
In addition to the food and grocery items, SPAR included toys and gifts for the children at the homes. These ensured that the children, often the most vulnerable during challenging times, could also experience a joyful Christmas.
“We chose these centres of caring from the nominations received recognising their unique challenges and the need for targeted support.” says Maubane. “As a retailer committed to empowering women, supporting these organisations is a vital step towards uplifting and strengthening the communities we serve. We wanted to not only address immediate needs but also to foster long term resilience and growth within communities by making Christmas 2024 a time to remember for as many people as possible”.
As Christmas approaches, motivation behind this heartfelt initiative becomes even more profound. The desire to make meaningful memories echoes SPAR’s core values of compassion and community upliftment. By investing in the wellbeing of our communities, we aim to spread joy and hope during festive season, making a lasting impact on those who would receive aid. Ultimately, these efforts serve as a testament to the power of collective action in creating a brighter and a more equitable future for all.
“This Christmas, we aimed to do more than just meeting the basic needs of those in our communities. We wanted to give the gift of joy, of hope, of togetherness, and to make this Christmas a memorable one for everyone, especially those who need it most,” says Maubane.
“Our ‘Christmas Like No Other’ campaign underscores SPAR’s commitment to addressing not only essential nutritional needs for women and children but also to creating a comprehensive and genuine impact in the communities we serve – throughout the festive season and all year round”, concludes Maubane.
Follow the “Christmas Like No Other” delivery journey HERE.