Capetonians are being asked to support a winter drive for the intellectually disabled and their families.
The One to One Fair is a community-based project that’s been running for just under 40 years to help the needy. It ran in the form of a fund-raising fair for people with intellectual disabilities until lockdown when it was replaced by collection drives.
This year, the project aims to help 3 000 people across the city.
Albert Glass, chairperson of the One To One Day Fair, said they needed socks, beanies, scarves, packets of soup, coffee or hot chocolate, tea bags, sugar and milk powder, rice, instant mealie meal porridge, packets of dry beans, beef cubes, packets of noodles, soap, face cloths, small hand towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and small soft toys.
“The project has grown in size over the years, in that it entertains and interacts with an increased number of intellectually disabled,” he said.
Mr Glass said the initiative began in 1981, when the then principal of the Glendale Teaching and Training Unit in Retreat, the late Izak Wolvaardt, visited the UK and witnessed an effort by professionals caring for those with an intellectual disability to involve the community to interact and develop a friendship with the disabled.
“He returned and wondered if and how we could do something similar. He approached the service clubs who were involved in this sort of outreach.”
At that stage, Mr Glass was the president of the Sea Point branch of B’nai B’rith, a Jewish service organisation. “We liked the idea, met with Izak and the concept began to grow on us. However, we realised that the scope was far larger than one organisation, and so we approached Lions Clubs International, Rotary International, Round Table and others to consider pooling our resources and found a venue and staged the first event in August 1981.
“That was the start, and with some relatively minor tweaking, that formula and style of fair was held annually for 38 years until Covid-19 struck. The fair is and has been free for the disabled and all participating organisations.”
The Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies has been supporting One to One for 17 years. It’s marketing and legal officer, Tyla Dallas said: “We believe in the importance of inter-community outreach, and so when presented with the opportunity to help members of the community with intellectual disability, we jumped on board. It has been a truly rewarding experience to come together as one community, one nation and work for the betterment of a segment of our society who need our help.”
Contact Mr Glass at 021 434 9315 for more information or to donate. There are drop-off points in Gardens, Sea Point, Milnerton, Claremont and Wynberg.
