The Gentle Touch Foundation (GTF) aims to reach out and touch the lives of youth and members of our community who are in challenging situations. The Foundation operates several different programs seeking to provide support, encouragement, and skills to help vulnerable individuals and families overcome their challenges and lead more productive and healthy lives. Since the onset of Covid-19, one of their projects has been feeding the homeless on the streets of Empangeni.
Lynette Dunn, founder the GTF, and her husband Karl, set up the food table.
Warm stew along with bread donated by BB Bakery are welcomed by the homeless outside Biyela Centre
Senzo, who has been living on the streets for a year now because he needs to be close to town to hustle for daily income, appreciates the meal.
Many of those on the streets, left difficult family circumstances where there was no income, to come to town to try and earn some money. Because of the challenging life on the street, many fall into the trap of substance abuse, which can make it even harder to return to their families or find more permanent work opportunities. Without a helping hands willing to reach out in support, it becomes increasingly more difficult for them to break the negative life-cycle they find themselves trapped in.