Our Projects
Find out more about our projects
Below are a list of our current projects. We provide a little bit about each project and how you can get involved.
Project
Parish Programs / Initiatives
Caritas Cape Town provides advisory, capacity-building and, where necessary, financial support to effectively aid parishes of the Archdiocese of Cape Town to initiate welfare & development programs/projects in their local communities.
It does this by providing training workshops, and ongoing one on one support, to increase the capacity of individuals and groups to help identify needs in their communities and design programs/projects to meet these needs.
Parish programs/projects can include (but are not limited to) initiatives such as:
- Community vegetable gardens;
- Programs to support migrants/displaced people;
- Support programs for vulnerable people in the community;
- Local and environmental clean-ups;
- Children & youth programs;
- Programs to support elderly folk;
- Regular drives/collections
e.g. food, school stationery, sanitary products, blankets.
Opening of the Fazenda da Esperance Centre
The opening of the Fazenda da Esperance Centre for women with substance abuse issues at Elsie’s River. In the photo is Cardinal Stephen Brislin and the Fazenda de Experanca founding members and Elsie’s River project team.
The Network now comprises 20 members
Project
Social Development Group Network
Although primarily focused on parish-based initiatives, Caritas Cape Town is also aware that one of the Church’s greatest treasures is the Catholic social action which takes place locally by many social outreach and development organisations within the Archdiocese of Cape Town.
In recognition of this work Caritas Cape Town wanted to ensure that its mandate included the bringing together of all these wonderful organizations to enable them to get to know each other better, collaborate, discuss opportunities to work together and attend workshops on topics relevant to those in the social development field.
This newly formed ‘Social Development Group Network’ meets three times a year. If you would like to join the group please feel free to contact our CCT Coordinator Aisling Foley coordinator@caritas.capetown.
Project
Emergency Disaster Response
Caritas Cape Town provides support and resources in cases of local and/or national emergencies or disasters
In September 2021 Caritas Cape Town distributed 2,000 food parcels and bulk food support to 18 parish community soup kitchens in response to the hunger and destitution arising from the continuing covid lockdown.
In May 2022, Caritas Cape Town made substantial financial donations to both the Archdiocese of Durban and the Diocese of Mariannhill to assist those who had been affected by the devastating KZN floods.
In December 2021 Caritas Cape Town ran the annual Buckets of Love Christmas Campaign which saw parishes in the Archdiocese of Cape Town raise sufficient funds to distribute 1,419 food parcels to 18 parishes and bulk food support to 3 parish community soup kitchens.
- In June 2022 Caritas Cape Town launched its Disaster Appeal Winter 2022 encouraging parishes to collect funds and second-hand items to assist victims of future winter floods in the Archdiocese of Cape Town. For further information see the ‘Take Action’ section under ‘Donate pre-loved items’.
In September 2022, CCT became a member of the RESPOND network representing the Roman Catholic Church. RESPOND is a collection of churches and faith-based NGOs and organisations who collaborate to respond to disasters effectively.
- In December 2022, CCT ran the annual Buckets of Love Christmas Campaign which saw parishes in the Archdiocese of Cape Town raise sufficient funds to distribute 1,089 food parcels to 27 parishes and bulk food support to 3 parish community soup kitchens.
In October 2022, CCT distributed 20 ‘household starter kits’ to families who had lost their homes in the Hout Bay fires.
- In November 2022, CCT distributed 100 ‘hygiene boxes’ and 50 clothing packets to families who had lost their homes in the fires at Masiphumelele.
In January 2023, CCT distributed 30 ‘hygiene boxes’ and 11 ‘baby boxes’ to families who had lost their homes in the fires at Phillipi.
- In April 2023, CCT distributed 20 ‘baby boxes’ and sanitary towels to women affected by the fires in Imizamo Yethu.
In June 2023, CCT’s Flood Disaster Fund appeal raised R103,000 which was used to purchase ‘hygiene boxes’ and ‘stationery packs’. From donations in kind, we were able to distribute blankets, food and clothing to hundreds of families who were evacuated from their homes due to extreme flooding.