Cape Town, like all cities in South Africa, is a haven for charities and NGOs. Almost every suburb has at least one charity that accepts donations of cash, clothing, food or volunteer services.
Most of these charities need monetary donations to sustain their monthly efforts. Some are very happy to be given blankets, clothes and supplies. For those good-hearted citizens who want to spend some time making a difference or simply drop off some old clothes, here are some of the charities in the Southern Suburbs:
Milk Matters
Milk Matters is a community-based breast milk bank. It pasteurises and distributes donations of screened breast milk from healthy donors to premature, ill and vulnerable babies whose own mothers cannot supply the breast milk to meet their baby's needs. Milk Matters also facilitates the setting up of milk banks in health institutions.
Every drop and cent matters to Milk Matters. At present, the organisation is facing severe shortages of breast milk; healthy, lactating women can get involved by becoming a breast milk donor. You can also assist by donating directly, making them a beneficiary of your MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet card, leaving a legacy or bequest, fundraising or sponsoring items or services on their wishlist. The Milk Matters office is located at Mowbray Maternity Hospital, 12 Hornsey Road in Mowbray.
Phone: +27 (0)21 659 5599 | email: info@milkmatters.org
The Message Trust
The Message Trust is a religious organisation that works with at-risk youth in Cape Town. They run prison enterprise programmes, community transformation workshops, enterprise development courses and host creative arts events.
You can help The Message Trust by volunteering your time at some of their many events and workshops. You can also donate money or help with fundraising initiatives. Their office is located at 65 Main Road in Mowbray.
Phone: +27 (0)21 685 1535 | email: info@message.org.za
Help The Rural Child
Help The Rural Child was set up by The Goedgedacht Trust which aims to contribute to the transformation of impoverished rural communities. Their work revolves around children living in rural areas.
The organisation accepts general donations such as food, clothing, toys and stationery for children. They also accept items for their charity shops including furniture, books, and glassware. Cash donations are welcomed and the volunteers will assemble a box of staple foods for families in need, for just R350. Alternatively, you can sponsor a child for R125 a month. Their charity shop is located at 6 Victoria Road, Mowbray.
Phone: +27 (0)21 689 8392 | email: info@ruralchild.org.za
Hidden Treasure
Hidden Treasure is a religious charity that funds other organisations affiliated with the Baptists Women's Department of Southern Africa. They host bible sermons in prisons and provide employment for people at their shops across South Africa.
The organisation will accept cash donations or volunteer services to help run their charity shop. They also welcome donated goods of any kind - old furniture, kitchen utensils, clothes, DVDs - anything and everything. The charity is located at 142 Main Road in Plumstead.
Phone: +27 (0)71 861 2283
Lions Club
The Lions Club is the world's largest service club organization with over 1.4 million members from approximately 46,000 clubs in 200 countries around the world. They host and partake in a variety of charitable drives, events and projects. The Tokai branch supports the Naked Baby Project, where they raise funds for baby items such as nappies, clothes, toys, blankets and baby care items such as creams and soap.
They also work with the Jonga Trust to deliver free eye screening and free readers for tested patients in the community. The Lions Club members are active participants in numerous outreach programmes and activities in the Southern Suburbs.
Cash donations are always appreciated by the organisation, and charitable citizens can specify which of the Lions Club projects they'd like to support with their donation. The branch is located at 1995 Orpen Road in Tokai.
Phone: +27 (0)84 060 6155 | email: tokai.lions.club@gmail.com
Oasis Association
Oasis is an organisation that enables and employs people with intellectual disabilities. They run recycling services, a bakery, and charity shops that employ mentally challenged people. The organisation also runs day care centres and homes to provide care for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Oasis will be happy to take your recycling. They also appreciate used books, stationery, clothing and second-hand items that can be resold in their shop. Capetonians can also sponsor the costs for training for employment or the care costs for one person at the home. Businesses can get involved by having your recycling collected, ordering goods from the bakery, sponsoring 10 people or the running costs of one vehicle. Oasis is located at the corner of Lee Road and Imam Haron Road in Claremont.
Phone: +27 (0)21 671 2698 | email: info@oasis.org.za
St. Luke's Combined Hospices
St. Luke's Combined Hospices provides specialised end of life medical and nursing care, known as palliative care, to people with life-limiting illnesses. This is achieved through the professional home and in-ward nursing support, as well as by providing physical, emotional, psychosocial and spiritual care and bereavement support to families in Cape Town.
Monetary donations are always needed at the hospices. You can also donate your Pick n Pay Smart Shopper points by swiping your card at the kiosk and selecting 'donate points' from the list of options. St. Luke's also accepts books, toys, clothes and five-litre bottles of water. Their main office is located at 92 Harfield Road in Kenilworth.
Phone: +27 (0)21 797 5335 | email: reception@stlukes.co.za
TEARS Charity Centre
TEARS (The Emma Animal Rescue Society) is an animal rescue and rehabilitation centre for domestic animals. They provide veterinary care for injured and sick animals and actively look for rehoming opportunities for neglected pets.
An important part of TEARS' mission is to reunite lost animals with their owners and carry out veterinary outreach and humane education programmes in Cape Town. They're always looking for food donations and blankets, as well as cash.
Volunteers can offer their services at one of the shelters, charity shops or fundraising events. The TEARS charity shop is located at 281 Main Road in Retreat.
Phone: +27 (0)21 785 4482 | email: tears@tears.org.za
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is one of the oldest religious charities in the world. It was created in 1865 to support the advancement of education, the relief of poverty and the bettering of society as a whole. Volunteers serve the communities in which they live through various outreach programmes.
At the moment, The Salvation Army is looking for blankets and clothing donations. Monetary donations and food parcels are always appreciated as well. The organisation is located at 45 Maynard Road in Wynberg.
Phone: +27 (0)21 761 8530 | email: wcape.dc@saf.salvationarmy.org
The South African Red Cross Society
The Red Cross is part of a global network that supports people affected by natural disasters and war. It is the largest volunteer-driven organisation on the planet, with 100 million members in 189 different countries. In South Africa, the Red Cross supports communities by making them safer and it facilitates development projects.
Capetonians can donate money via their secure website. The money is used to buy blankets, first aid kits, food parcels and more. It also goes towards first aid training programmes and skills coaching for volunteers and members of the public. Their office is located at 21 Broad Road in Wynberg.
Phone: +27 (0)21 797 5360 | email: lvanaarde@redcross.org.za
The Village Work Centre
The Village Work Centre is a protective centre for adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. The centre was established to help with the care, training, treatment and employment of people with cerebral palsy.
Donations and volunteer services are always welcomed by The Village Work Centre. Their office is located at 11 First Avenue in Claremont.
Phone: +27 (0)21 683 1300 | email: frontdesk@villageworkcentre.org.za
U-Turn Homeless Ministries
U-Turn Homeless Ministries is a religious NPO that supports homeless people living in Cape Town. People can purchase U-Turn vouchers from their website and give them to homeless people. These vouchers are then used to access shelter, food, or drug and alcohol rehab.
Homeless people enter a phased programme that starts with basic needs relief such as clothing and food. Then, they can access rehabilitation support and skills training programmes that give them work experience, therapy and a development of self-belief.
Capetonians can purchase U-Turn vouchers online, donate money via their website, donate second-hand goods for their charity shop, or volunteer their time and services to the organisation. The head office is located at 155 2nd Avenue in Kenilworth.
Phone: +27 (0)21 674 6119 | email: info@homeless.org.za
Western Province Blood Transfusion Service
The Western Province Blood Transfusion Service has three fixed donation clinics in Cape Town, as well as at each regional office. All other clinics are 'mobile', which means that they can visit an area near you in one of their caravans or the Blood Bus. The organisation also hosts clinics in halls, schools and offices throughout the city.
Capetonians can donate blood by visiting the website and booking a timeslot at a clinic nearby, or by enrolling as a regular donor. The main clinic is located at the Blue Route Mall, 16 Tokai Road in Tokai.
Phone: +27 (0)21 712 4521 | email: info@wcbs.org.za
The Children's Hospital Trust
The Children's Hospital Trust provides a hospital dedicated entirely to children, especially those from impoverished communities. Funding towards the trust helps to upgrade and expand the hospital's buildings, buy state-of-the-art medical equipment, launch new medical treatment projects, and fund medical professionals.
You can change a child's life by donating to the Children's Hospital Trust, leaving a gift in your will or in memory or hosting a fundraising event. The Children's Hospital Trust is located at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, 1 Milner Service Road in Rondebosch.
Phone: +27 (0)21 686 7860 | email: cht@chtrust.org.za
The Rondebosch Vuleka Trust
Established in 2012, this trust provides assistance to pupils at Rondebosch Boys' Schools of previously disadvantaged backgrounds. It opens doors to allow these pupils the opportunity to gain a high standard of education.
By donating to the Rondebosch Vuleka Trust, you can contribute to speech and occupational therapy sessions, private tutoring, uniforms, stationery, bursaries and more. If you have a MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet card, you can also add the trust as a beneficiary. The Rondebosch Vuleka Trust is based on 78 Campground Road in Rondebosch.
Phone: +27 (0)72 537 6772 | email: info@rondeboschvulekatrust.co.za
Animal Rescue Organisation
The Animal Rescue Organisation (ARO) was established to relieve the suffering of township animals within the Cape Metropole. It achieves this through the ARO Veterinary Hospital, daily mobile clinic and sterilisation programmes.
You can lend a helping hand by donating items to their charity shops, assisting with funds, hosting a fundraising event, leaving a legacy or volunteering. You can visit ARO's charity shop on 51 Main Road in Bergvliet or pop by their stall at the Rondebosch Park Market held every second Saturday monthly.
Phone: +27 (0)21 715 7525 | email: aro@animalrescue.org.za
Cape of Good Hope SPCA
This animal welfare organisation provides a range of services to prevent and treat animal cruelty, and also raise awareness for animal welfare. The Cape of Good Hope SPCA has an animal hospital, feral cat unit, inspectorate department, lost and found department, mobile clinics and more. All of these need donations and support to keep going.
You can help the Cape of Good Hope SPCA by donating, volunteering, leaving a legacy, fundraising, or supporting their SPCA Vet Shop. Visit them at 6 Gabriel Road in Plumstead for excellent offers and a wide range of animal care products.
Phone: +27 (0)21 761 4463 | email: info@capespca.co.za
As the saying goes, charity begins at home, but shouldn't end there. Seeff takes pride in assisting charities and even giving back through our own Home2Home corporate social responsibility initiative. When buying, selling, renting, or letting property, talk to your Seeff property professional about how you can get involved in social outreach in the community.
This post was originally published in December 2018. It has been completely revamped and updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness in December 2021.