Supporting Children Beyond School Gates
Join the Holiday Box Movement
Join us in making a tangible difference in the lives of vulnerable children during school holidays. Together, we can provide essential support and a reminder that children are cherished and not forgotten.
Empowering Through Compassion
In 2025, our journey expanded beyond the walls of the wellness centre when we partnered with Skeerpoort Primary School, our close neighbour. Through conversations with the principal and teachers, we were introduced to the reality that some children in the school face profound challenges when the school gates close for the holidays. During the school term, many children are supported by the school’s feeding scheme, often receiving their most reliable meal of the day. However, when the holidays arrive, this safety net disappears. For some families, this means facing difficult days marked by food insecurity and limited access to essential items such as toiletries and basic clothing.
Moved by these stories, we created the Holiday Box Project. This is our way of offering practical support, dignity, and a reminder to vulnerable children and their families that they are seen, valued, and supported, even when school is not in session. As each school holiday approaches, we prepare care boxes filled with practical essentials and small, age-appropriate treats. These boxes are entrusted to the school, where they are discreetly given to children who have been identified as especially vulnerable during the holiday period. In this way, support is offered with dignity, sensitivity, and respect for each child’s circumstances.
The need is real and often overwhelming, while our ability to respond is shaped by the resources we have available. Every box represents a collective act of care, made possible by people who choose to step forward and make a difference. If you feel called to help, we warmly invite you to support the upcoming Easter Holiday Boxes by contributing items from the list below. Even the smallest contribution becomes part of something deeply meaningful.
HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED
Make your own Box
We prepare care boxes for individual boys and girls identified by the school. To ensure fairness and consistency, we aim for each box to contain the full range of items listed below. The suggested box size is approximately 45 cm (L) × 30 cm (W) × 30 cm (H) — roughly the size of a medium to large moving box. Once you have pledged your support, we will allocate a child to your box using age and gender details only. Suggested contents for each box include:
- A warm outfit, such as tracksuit pants and a tracksuit top
- Pack of maize meal
- Pack of breakfast porridge
- Other shelf-stable foods (for example, canned food or similar alternatives)
- Pack of rice
- Long-life milk, tea, and sugar
- A box of cookies or similar treat
- Non-perishable sweets (optional comfort item)
- Bar of soap
- Wash cloth
- Toothpaste and a toothbrush
- Basic school stationery
If you are unable to provide a full box, contributions of individual items are also deeply appreciated and will be combined to complete boxes where needed.
Support through Donations
If you feel moved to support but are unable to prepare a full box, you are warmly invited to contribute any amount toward the preparation of a Holiday Box. Every contribution, no matter the size, becomes part of a collective act of care that helps ensure a child receives practical support, comfort, and a sense of being remembered during the school holidays.
Every donation is carefully recorded, responsibly managed, and independently audited by a registered professional, ensuring that funds are used solely for the preparation and distribution of Holiday Boxes. Through your generosity, we can provide tangible support to children who might otherwise go without essential items during the holiday period.
Terms and Conditions
*All contributions are voluntary and are used exclusively to support the Holiday Box Project. We have submitted an application to register as a Non-Profit Organisation with the South African Department of Social Development. While this process is underway, donations for the Holiday Box Project are facilitated through Back-a-Buddy to ensure transparency and accountability.The Holiday Box Project is a community support initiative developed in collaboration with Skeerpoort Primary School. The school assists in identifying learners who may benefit from support and distributes the boxes directly to ensure dignity and appropriateness. Donations are not collected on behalf of the school, and the school does not administer or receive funds from this initiative. Contributions are entirely optional and are applied solely toward the preparation and distribution of Holiday Boxes.