Brackenfell’s Paarl School is Western Cape’s top performer for Casual Day

The organisations that raised the most money for Casual Day, retaining a portion of the money for their own needs are Paarl School in Brackenfell (R157 630), Cheré Botha Special School in Belville (R144 540), Filia School in Goodwood (R135 278), Sunfield Wellington (R109 350), APD Western Cape in Milnerton (R105 750), Ligstraal School in Paarl (R99 080) and Aanhouwen Work & Care Centre in Somerset West (R76 360).

According to project leader Celeste Vinassa this money will benefit thousands of persons with disabilities through the branches of beneficiary organisations in every region. “Our aim this year is to spread the message of the social impact of the funds. Your R10 in Action will highlight where the Casual Day money is spent.”

“Our national beneficiaries, through their affiliates and branches all over South Africa, provide services to persons with disabilities. Casual Day is a way for the disability sector to speak with one voice about ushering in a society that values human rights, inclusion, diversity and universal access to education for all its citizens.”

Dr Yusuf Lalkhen, vice chairperson of the NCPPDSA Executive Committee, who is an educational psychologist from Cape Town and an internationally certified emotional intelligence practitioner, said, “Together we constitute a significant lobby group for the human rights of a diverse group of persons with a range of disabilities. The funds provided by the national pool contribute towards the work that these organisations perform in the community. Apart from the services they provide to their constituencies, they are involved in advocacy and lobbying for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in mainstream society.”
 
Casual Day’s national beneficiaries include the National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities, SA National Council for the Blind, SA Federation for Mental Health, the Deaf Federation of SA, QASA, Autism South Africa, Down Syndrome South Africa, The National Association for Persons with Cerebral Palsy, the South African National Deaf Association, the National Institute for the Deaf, Alzheimer’s South Africa and the South African Disability Alliance. There are branches and affiliates of these national organisations in every region.

The Edcon Group raised R2.3-million from their customers at their tills, according to Mercia Maserumule, group director of CSI and transformation. She said, “Edcon, through the donation of surplus merchandise, now also supports the income generating projects of the regional Association for Persons with Disabilities branches. Through this support, individuals are empowered to become economically active.”

She said Edcon’s employee volunteering programme, which has supported Casual Day, also raised funds through a clothing recycling programme. The funds raised are then put towards sourcing mobility devices for children across the disabilities spectrum.

The funds are raised as a result of a R10 donation for a Casual Day sticker. Casual Day 2015 is on Friday, 4 September.

For more information, phone +27 11 609-7006 or visit www.casualday.co.za. Alternatively, visit and like their page on Facebook and follow them on Twitter with the hashtag, #CasualDay.