04-05-2025
Local church to give homeless dignity through clothing collection
THIS year marks a decade that Grace Family Church has helped and supported the Street Store initiative which is a free, pop-up clothing and shoe store that helps hundreds of homeless people.
Stocked with generous donations, the Street Store offers a way for the homeless to have a dignified shopping experience.
The church has partnered with the Denis Hurley Centre to host the event on Saturday, May 31.
Dave Richter, director of Grace Aid, the charitable arm of Grace Family Church, explained there are a number of ways residents can give back to the initiative.
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'Residents can donate, or volunteer at our sorting day or volunteer to help out at the Street Store on the day. At the moment we are looking for volunteers to assist us with the sorting day which takes place on Saturday, May 24 at our Cornubia campus. On that day we sort through the items and then box them up for display. We welcome anyone from the community to come volunteer and help to sort clothes into sizes and box them. The day is perfect for families or young people looking to do community service,' he said.
'This all started from a suggestion from a volunteer who'd seen a video on the Street Store concept. They proposed it and we felt it would be a wonderful opportunity to make a tangible difference to serve the materially poor in a dignified way. On average over the last 10 years we've served close to 1000 homeless people at the Street Store. Currently, the uMhlanga campus of the church is home to a shipping container where people can donate items of clothes and shoes. Donations can also be dropped off at any of the four Grace Church campuses including Cornubia, Riverside, Ballito during the week between 08:00 and 15:30,' he said.
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Richter added that the sorting day is open to everyone and is non-denominational.
He also touched on the types of clothing items needed.
'We are calling for donations of clothing, shoes and bags and we are really looking for men's slim / small sizes in clothing. Most of the homeless people we serve are men. We are also looking for any donations of shoes of various sizes. Shoes are gold on the street and most homeless people don't have a decent pair. We are also going to be buying clothing to support the initiative and if people cannot make it to the sorting day or the Street Store they can make a donation through our website should they want,' he said.
Important dates to remember
Saturday, May 24: Sorting day to box clothing and shoes at the church's Cornubia campus (29 Flanders Drive).
Saturday, May 31: The Street store will be held at Denis Hurley Centre (2 Cathedral Road, Durban CBD).
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