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If each of us can make a difference in just one life, we will have made a difference in the world.
DOORWAY TO DIGNITY AT A GLANCE
ONE DAY AT A TIME, ONE LIFE AT A TIME
Our goal at Doorway to Dignity is to engage with vulnerable, displaced and homeless people to restore their dignity and renew their hope.
Our primary strategy is to network or partner with like-minded organisations and to facilitate projects and initiatives that demonstrate God’s love, grace and compassion. These include running a temporary shelter during lockdown 2020, clothing, blanket and toiletry distribution, supporting and running feeding schemes, and counselling.
An important part of what we do is to work alongside people to help them out of their current situation. A key aspect of that is skills development and job creation.
If each of us can make a difference in just one life, we will have made a difference in the world.
ACTIVITIES
With little or no protection from the elements, life on the streets is tough. We see people daily - begging at traffic lights, hauling trolleys piled high with recyclable waste, or wandering the streets in search of food, shelter and work. And even if they're not living rough, there are thousands of people in South Africa struggling to survive, genuinely wanting to turn their lives around. At Doorway to Dignity, we want to show them that, irrespective of their backgrounds and circumstances, their lives still have value.
HOMELESS OUTREACH
EMPLOYMENT CREATION
One step at a time
Opportunities for all
At Doorway to Dignity we recognise how important it is to acknowledge the people who face daily struggles, to take the time to listen to them, to help where we can and, most importantly, to show them God's love and give them a sense of worth.
To maximise its reach, Doorway to Dignity works within the community with like-minded organisations, including churches, businesses and other non-profit entities. In so doing, we are creating synergies that augment the efforts of everyone involved.
FOOD RELIEF
Our goal is to promote opportunities for people in need. With access to the right resources, people can gain confidence to fulfill their potential, and become self-sufficient.
One of our functions is to establish what skills and experience are available in the market we aim to serve. More importantly, we try to explore what homeless and destitute people actually want and how they wish to achieve that – to impose our own opinions would undermine their sense of dignity.
To date, Doorway to Dignity has been involved in numerous employment creation initiatives including the Mbonela Phanda roadside digging project, the City of Joburg's A Re Sebetseng clean-up campaign, residents associations' pavement tidy-up programmes and the Sleep Tight Sleeping Bag Project.
CLOTHING DISTRIBUTION
Every bit helps
Clothed in dignity
In line with our aim to work with like-minded organisations, Doorway to Dignity has connected with Nosh Food Rescue, which has enabled us to distribute tons of fruit and vegetables to soup kitchens and impoverished communities.
We are directly involved with Ferndale Bible Chapel's Saturday morning soup kitchen, and have a database of soup kitchens to which we refer people.
We welcome all donations of clothing and blankets, which we distribute to homeless and needy folk as and when the need arises.
In 2017, Doorway to Dignity hosted the world's 569th Street Store, giving homeless and destitute people a dignified shopping experience. In May 2018, we partnered with One Small Act of Kindness in hosting the 801st Street Store, and in December 2018 we assisted BeBold Digital at an event celebrating World Street Store Day.
569TH STREET STORE
A dignified shopping experience
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
Matthew 25:35-36
