Shoprite makes elderly feel special on Valentines’ Day

 

The residents of Lily Haven Old Age Home in Bonteheuwel received a Valentine’s Day surprise when staff from Shoprite’s Home Office treated them to a high tea complete with gift sets.

Shoprite has a long-standing partnership with the home going back to 2016, when it established a vegetable garden which helps provide nutritious meals for the 120 elderly people living in the home. Volunteers at Lily Haven attended training workshops over a period of 12 months to help them maintain the garden which produces crops such as beetroot, cabbage and spinach.

The retailer also installed a grey water system in 2017 to water the plants during Cape Town’s drought. Most recently the Group helped to double the size of the garden, which now covers an area of 260m2.

“We wanted to do something special for the residents at Lily Haven because of our existing relationship with the home. It was a real privilege to serve the residents and present them with gifts on this day that we celebrate love.”

- Lunga Schoeman, the Shoprite Group’s CSI Manager

 

“The elderly often feel forgotten and excluded on special days such as Valentine's Day, the Shoprite staff spending time with them is the best gift. It is wonderful to know that Shoprite cares enough to help improve the experience of elderly people in a home on a day like this.”

- Vonette Damonse, Administrative Manager at Lily Haven

“I can't remember when last I received a Valentine's Day gift, so this was a wonderful and welcome surprise.”

- Cecilia Lopez, a resident of Lily Haven

 

“It's nice to know that someone still thinks of us and values us enough to spend time with us.”

- Joan Solomons - a Lily Haven resident