The company launched this campaign in May when they were allowed to re-open as national lockdown restrictions were amended.
The campaign was a fantastic success, raising a total of R26, 169! Durban-based non-profit organisation, St Thomas Home for Children, were excited to be the recipients of the Hollywood Bunny Bar’s ‘Curry It Forward’ campaign.
The company launched this campaign in May when they were allowed to re-open as national lockdown restrictions were amended.
They announced that 10 percent of all customer bills would go to an organisation in need. The campaign was a fantastic success, raising a total of R26, 169!
These funds were used to finish tiling the home’s bathrooms, their passages and sections of the dormitory. It also went towards buying new tracksuits for each of the 27 beneficiaries, who currently reside at St Thomas.
This vital donation is assisting them with repairing the extensive damage caused by major flooding that occurred in the city in April 2019. Due to lack of funding, the building has been under construction for over a year.
The home performs an important function, have been providing residential care for orphaned and vulnerable children since it was established in 1959. Their beneficiaries are between two and ten years of age, and all of their basic needs are met including meals being provided.
They ensure that their beneficiaries receive an early childhood education and have access to local primary schools when they reach the ready age. Counselling and support are also offered to those children, who may require this form of support as a result of past experiences.
Principal of St Thomas Home for Children, Marie-Therese Naidoo, expressed her utmost gratitude to the company for their support, especially as it came at a time where South Africa is facing a pandemic.
“We are in absolute awe of the amazing funding drive that was put in place by the Hollywood Bunny Bar. This donation, during the time of COVID-19, is most welcome. We have no words to express how much this means to us. The funding of the tiling will mean that we can move back into our premises and stop having to pay for monthly rent while the renovations are taking place. The new tracksuits will also be put to great use by our children particularly during the very cold winter months that we are currently experiencing,” explained Naidoo.
Regional food and beverage manager for the Hollywood Group, Dhanesh Roopraj, explained how important it was for the company to get involved.
“After hearing about the mass destruction that occurred at the home during the 2019 flooding, and the struggles the organisation continue to face because of it, we felt that it was important for this particular organisation to be the worthy recipients of our ‘Curry It Forward’ campaign. Hollywoodbets already had an existing relationship with St Thomas, having supported them in the past as part of the annual Hollywoodbets My Community Programme aimed at uplifting organisations that do good. We know that they do wonderful work in Durban and that they have been doing so for many years. They are an inspiration to us, and we were happy to band together with our customers to help them at a time when they needed it most,” he shared.