How will you be donating your 67 minutes this Mandela Day?
However you choose to give aid, we want to make it as easy as possible by providing you with the information you’ll need about food and blanket drives happening this year, as well as various organisations where you can volunteer your time, skills and services. If you’d prefer to donate cash, please note that each of the superb organisations below urgently need funds, too.
Mandela Day Aid Schemes and Events This 2025
Ladles of Love
Local NPO Ladles of Love once again invites individuals and businesses to roll up their sleeves and volunteer to support children in need at their Mandela Day flagship event.
Purchasing a ticket commits ticketholders to spending 2 hours in active service making items to help nurture and grow little ones at pre-school centres and shelters. Each R250 ticket is also deemed a donation, as with the money spent on just one ticket, a child will receive two nutritious meals a day, for a month and for this donation, the ticketholder can also request an 18A Tax certificate.
In the spirit of ubuntu, volunteers can choose from various activities including buckets of love where volunteers layer dry foods for cooks to prepare, craft/soft toys making and decorating, packing nutrition boxes, using their creativity to bring educational posters and colouring-in books to life for preschool children and teachers, and creating edible garden kits.
Cost: R250 – R1000, book online
When: Friday, 18 July. From 9am to 5pm (separated into two-hour slots)
Where: Kyalami Convention Centre, Cnr R55 & Allandale Road, Kyalami, Midrand
FoodForward SA
Mandela Day is a powerful opportunity to unite the nation through meaningful change, and FoodForward SA is asking citizens to spend their 67 minutes in aid of food insecurity in South Africa.
The FoodForward SA Mandela Day brings thousands of corporates, schools, clubs, families, and individuals together to spend their 67 minutes sorting and packing essential food groceries for those who are facing food insecurity in the country, while fostering unity and collective action toward a shared goal – food security for all.
Cost: R67pp, book via Webtickets
When: Friday, 18 July 2025. Slots begin at 9.30am, 11.30am and 1.30pm
Where: Johannesburg Expo Centre (Hall 10), Nasrec rd, corner Rand Show Rd, Nasrec, Johannesburg
Mandela Day Walk/Run
Get involved in the highly anticipated Nelson Mandela Foundation Mandela Day Walk and Run 2025 event, proudly brought to you by BP Southern Africa, Balwin Properties and Mahindra.
This annual event is dedicated to promoting community service and inspiring positive change within South African communities. Participants have the opportunity to select from three distances – 5km, 10km, and 21km.
The 5km route will go through parts of Illovo and Melrose North, while the 10km and 21km routes will include sections of Houghton Estate, passing by some iconic sites such as the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Nelson Mandela’s residence.
Cost: R100pp (5km), R150pp (10km), R200pp (21km). Book online
When: Saturday, 19 July 2025. The 10km and 21km race starts at 7.30am and the 5km race starts at 7.45am
Where: DP World Wanderers Stadium, Corlett Drive, Illovo, Sandton, Johannesburg
Menlyn Maine Launches Gallery of Giving in Celebration of Mandela Month
Menlyn Maine Central Square, in partnership with 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day, The Scoin Shop, and Embassy Direct, proudly launches the Gallery of Giving, an initiative to honour Mandela Month, this July.
Hosted at Menlyn Maine’s Central Square, the Gallery of Giving showcases exclusive handmade blankets crafted by volunteers from 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day, as well as over thirty Mandela-inspired artworks from a private collection.
This year, everyone is invited to visit the Gallery of Giving and join in making a difference this Mandela Month. The Gallery of Giving opens to the public on Friday, 4 July. Visitors can browse the exhibition until 31 July.
Cost: Free entry
When: Open from 4 to 31 July 2025
Where: Menlyn Maine Central Square, 180 Amarand Ave, Waterkloof Glen, Pretoria
DaSilva Parks Market Day in aid of 4Paws Rescue and Randburg SPCA
Join a vibrant Winter Market Day at Hammets Crossing Office Park in aid of 4Paws Rescue and Randburg SPCA.
The amazing Da Silva Parks tenants will be stepping out of their offices and into the winter sun to showcase what they do best — from business services to handmade goodies, with special offers and on-the-day deals you won’t want to miss.
The market is also in partnership with the popular Picnic & Thrift sustainable market. Expect a full day of fun, food and furry friends with dog-friendly spaces (dogs must be on-leash please), delicious food and drink vendors, and kid-friendly activities.
Cost: Entrance fee is one donation, book via Quicket
When: Friday, 18 July from 11am to 5pm
Where: Hammets Crossing Office Park, 2 Selbourne Rd, Fourways, Sandton
Organisations to lend your 67 minutes to
If you are considering looking beyond the 67 minutes, below are great organisations to offer whatever aid you can, beyond Mandela Day. Perhaps you could have a good winter clear-out, and donate clothes or other items to those less fortunate. Or maybe you have a skill you could share with an organisation, whether just for an hour’s consultation or on a regular basis.
Donate your time
Assist with food gardens or plant a tree
Assist in food gardens and sustainability initiatives with Food and Trees for Africa. Visit Willow Feather Farm in Pretoria and get involved in sustainable efforts with tree planting and more.
Roll up your sleeves at feeding schemes and packing drives
You can spend your 67 minutes by volunteering to pack food parcels for those in need with Rise Against Hunger. Last year the organisation packed 425 736 meals. This year the goal is 430 000 or more.
Help uplift our youth
Give 67 minutes of your time to help out at Boys & Girls Club in Soweto or Kids Haven in Benoni with interactive activities with the children and upliftment of the venues (painting, gardening etc).
Support Pups, Kitties and Other Animals
Help out at animal shelters like SPCA, Woodrock, and Tears – with general upkeep, cuddles, dog walking, and admin.
Donate your skills
Use your field of speciality
Sizanani helps high school learners from Alexandra township in Johannesburg to succeed in their studies and gain access to universities through the provision of mentors, career information and bursaries. There are several different ways to help, including short term/day options. Provide a workshop about your industry, tutoring, participate in a Life Orientation class, become a mentor and more.
Blairgrowie residents can join the community effort and volunteer their 67 minutes to the Blairgowrie Recreation Centre’s Pool Project taking place from 9am to 12pm on Friday and Saturday, 18 and 19 July 2025.
Donate clothes, food, and other items
Vintage with Love accepts gently worn clothes and accessories from people in and around Cape Town and Joburg and re-sells them at stores in both cities. The profits go to literacy charities such as Realema Teacher Intern Programme, Community Assisting Schools, Thandulwazi Maths and Science Academy and the Click Foundation.
The Johannesburg Children’s Home needs food, toiletries, clothes and more. They could also do with community service and fundraising aid. Find out more about what they need more urgently here.
67 Blankets needs wool, hooks and needles (or you can also knit and donate a blanket!).
Bring gently worn children’s shoes to the shoes drive for township children, organised by Charity Begins with Me. To get involved, whatsapp Stephen on 072 5933 866. You can also donate full uniforms as part of Kolonnade Retail Park’s 67 Uniforms for 67 Minutes initiative. Drop-off is at the Centre Management Office.
The Mekayla Memorial NPC is requesting donations for their soup drive as well, hoping to serve 400 people with wholesome, homemade soup and bread. Monetary and ingredient donations are welcome. See the details here.
There are more ways you can help!
Visit forgood.co.za, find something happening in your city as part of their Mandela campaign and bring your friends and colleagues along. You could help a cause by feeding children, paint an aftercare centre or create a beautiful garden. If you can’t make it to an organisation on the day, there are loads of things you can do from the comfort of your couch or office desk – help manage their Facebook page, tidy up their website, or do some proposal writing.
