EL home wins charity award
Daily Dispatch
@Dispatch_DD THE King’s Children’s Home for abandoned and abused children in Glen Eden outside East London was named the winner of this year’s Forgood Inspirational Awards.
The awards were hosted and cosponsored by Mercedes-Benz South Africa and aim to recognise and honour work done by nonprofit organisations (NPOs) in Buffalo City.
The event, held yesterday at the manufacturer’s East London plant, was attended by hundreds of guests.
Swimmer Penny Heyns was the guest speaker.
“I am inspired by the stories of each and everyone of these organisations,” she said.
A total of 23 NPOs entered the competition and four were selected as finalists. These included: King’s Children’s Home; Hope School in Wilsonia; Breath of Life in Southernwood; and
Catch Projects in Gonubie. Each organisation was given an opportunity to do a presentation on the work they are doing and at the end of the presentations guests were asked to vote for the organisation they considered the most deserving winner.
In a tear-inducing presentation, founder of King’s home Tracy King spoke fondly of each of the children in her care. King, together with her husband Jonathan, established the home five years ago after a baby abandoned near their house was brought to their doorstep by the police.
“Out of our own home, we started the King’s Children’s Home to provide other options for mothers who cannot care for their children,” she said.
The King’s Children’s
Home walked away with R110 000 while the other three finalists received amounts between R45 000 and R50 000.
East London MBSA CEO Arno van der Merwe said it was the company’s duty to be visible in the community.
“As a corporate business we can only fully prosper if we take our community with us,” he said. —