Former Local Hero finalist struggles to keep feeding hungry Parkside children
Hundreds of hungry children from Parkside have come to rely on the hot meals prepared by 2018 Local Hero finalist Donae Carelse, but with no sponsors or funding, they are now turned away empty-handed.
“They come with their cups and bowls and I have to tell them there is no food. Every day I hope that somehow I can feed them,” said Carelse.
Carelse started the Norman Goosen Foundation in 2015 which helped provide breakfast and school lunches daily to underprivileged children and ran a soup kitchen on Sundays for the larger community. “I owe so much to spaza shops, I have tried buying bread and noodles on credit but I depended so much on my main sponsors, who unfortunately pulled out during the pandemic." Despite the dwindling supplies, she continues to scrounge for what she can. “Now all I can give sometimes is sandwiches. I feel like a total failure.
“I know where these kids are coming from, but still I have hope, I’m telling them, come back tomorrow.” Carelse won R10,000 and an additional grocery voucher of R10,000 as a Daily Dispatch and Johnson & Johnson Local Hero finalist in 2018.
“When I won in 2018, it was wonderful. I paid three kids’ school fees, I bought gas, I paid the shops in advance!”
Carelse named the foundation after her grandfather, who fed hundreds of children school lunches for more than 10 years.
“Every day my grandfather, Norman, would give kids sandwiches and juice after school.
“Now, when things are tough, my own daughter keeps me going. She tells me to never give up.”
Carelse took a chance and left her job as a preschool teacher to run her foundation full-time in 2018.
In 2019, her foundation ran a breakfast scheme, with hundreds of children lining up outside the family’s home to receive hot porridge and a packed lunch for school.
However, Carelse said the main sponsors had to pull out due to financial constraints during the pandemic.
“I don’t blame the companies because it was so tough, but now I’m desperately trying not to close down.
“Today we have two sponsors for small items.
“Dynamic Brands donates juices monthly and Boxer stores occasionally provides for us."
The steep increase in fuel and gas prices has also left Carelse with no way to collect donations.
However, she is determined to do whatever she can to feed the many hungry children in the area.
“Those people who want to give but can only manage a small amount it doesn’t matter how little the donation is, it all makes a difference.”