- The Street Store initiative marked the 10th anniversary of the enterprise on Tuesday at an event held in Green Point.
- The store provided clothing items to around 500 homeless individuals at the Haven Night Shelter in Green Point.
- Founded in 2014, the Street Store operates as a rent-free, premises-free, pop-up clothing store
About 500
people living on the street had the brightest smiles as they received new
and pre-loved clothing items at the Street Store held the Haven Night Shelter
in Green Point on Tuesday 11 June.
The day also marked the
10th anniversary of this enterprise known as the world’s first rent-free,
premises-free, free pop-up clothing store for those less fortunate.
It was founded in 2014 and is a
collaboration between Cape Town ad agency M&C Saatchi Abel and the Haven
Night Shelter in Green Point.
Mike Abel, co-founder of the
initiative, said the initiative’s 10th anniversary also
marked the 1 009th Street
Store.
He added the Street Store has been
held in 60 countries around the world, with more than 1 million people clothed.
“Each person had the opportunity
to take about three items and, if they had children, they could take for them as well. Whatever clothes we have left we
distribute to charities around Cape Town.”
For many
it was their first dignified shopping experience.
First time
Akeefah
Anderson said it was her first time at the Street Store.
“It’s not every day that we
get the opportunity to get things like this, it makes me happy to at least own
some new things. It makes me feel special, not neglected and it is good to know
there is people taking care of us.
She
explained that she will be wearing her new outfit to her sister’s 21st
birthday.
Washiema
Abrahams explained that she is grateful for the privilege of getting some new clothes.
Suzette
van Vuuren hopes her new outfit will open doors of employment for her.
“Many
times we don’t know where to go and wash our clothes. Now I at least have
something to wear. I got a nice jersey, a pair of shoes that match my jersey
and a pants. I am going to a place to look for work, now I can at least wear
something clean, hopefully then I will get the job.”
Items for family
James
August found items for his partner and 5-year-old son.
“It was a
pleasure to get some new stuff for me and my family. The place where we lived
burnt down. I got woman’s shoes and a shirt
for myself. I am grateful.”
There
are a lot of people here in the CBD living on the street. We have made
tremendous attempts to try and get them into our shelters. This is one of the
main ways we use to get them into a shelter and inform them about what we
are doing and the services we offer.
READ: Street Store celebrates 10 years of giving the homeless a dignified, free shopping experience
He
explained the main objective is to get them
off the street.
“A lot of
them have had bad experiences, and some have
formed families on the street so they don’t want to be at a shelter. It is
winter now and we tell them we have bed spaces available.”
He added
that reunification with their families is key.
“The idea
is to link them up to a shelter closest to where family members are. It makes
that reunification easier and possible. We are grateful to the Street Store for
their huge impact over the past 10 years. We are successful not because of what
we do but because of partnerships like this.”
