We have, this year, enlisted the help of Gracepoint Methodist Church to distribute blankets on our behalf. They help distribute at least 400 blankets this year - this has been a great help to me personally, as Wendy is not in a position to help at the moment.
The church has a very active outreach department and takes care of several informal settlement areas north of Johannesburg, aside from ministering to prisoners and running rehabilitation programmes for the drug and alcohol addicted and general counselling services all free of charge.
The head of the department is Mandy and we have delivered into her charge several loads of blankets for distribution this year.
Three main projects have been served:
1. The informal settlement near the Clay Oven is a growing squatter area of great desperation and much concern to authorities ... Gracepoint supports the community in many ways, not only by providing food and blankets but also in spiritual ways with friendship, free counselling and prayer. They distributed hundreds of our blankets here.
2. Refilwe School near the Lanseria airport, a very deprived informal
settlement.
3. A group of Gracepoint youth took 200 blankets to Bray, on the edge of the Kalahari desert / Botswana border where they gathered under a tree every week for seven weeks to hold an Alpha course for the adults, and interact with the children, distributing our blankets among many other activities. Photographs show a few of the children with their blankets, the people in such a remote area are camera shy !!!
[Some years ago we distributed in Diepsloot to a school named "Akani Metmar" - not sure whether it will be remembered, but this project was opened by Gracepoint's pastor Gary, and is also sponsored and provided for by the church to this day.]
Here is the link to Distributions to view the rest of the pics : http://forum.knit-a-square.com/forum/topics/photographs-from-kas-distributions-2015-2016?commentId=3276523%3AComment%3A726542
Replies
What a greta help to KAS, and what a greta help to those in need that we don't often get to hear about.
Pam thanks for posting the photos, I can see a woman holding a baby in one hand and one of Jude's granny blankets in the other......just wonderful to see, it's made my day. :)))))
How lovely Jude, so pleased for you - it always gives members a thrill to spot their creations, and, proves beyond doubt that the goodies are reaching the children (and some adults) they are meant for!
It's wonderful to hear of like-minded large hearted peoples willing to help! Way to go Gracepoint Methodist, high fives!
Fantastic that we were able to provide blankets for such deprived and desperate people. I hope they are of comfort to them to know people care.
It's lovely to hear about KAS connecting with other organisations to extend it's work. The yellow blanket squares look great as well, must crochet some to wrap up the next four teddies in the post x
The Gracepoint Methodist Church are obviously a wonderful group, who are doing some truly fantastic work. It's great that we were able to support them and, therefore, help people who we may not have otherwise have distributed to. Thank you!