Johannesburg - “Joy is found through giving to others, not by what you receive. Be the stone that ignited a fire by giving to others. It’s what you give that makes an impact on this world, regardless of the things you have. Joy isn’t measured by the size of a gift.”
This saying could not be more true for employees from Sun International’s payroll department who cashed in the value of their hard-earned overtime hours so that they could donate R25 000 to Project House of Hope instead.
The Pretoria-based non-profit organisation provides shelter and care to vulnerable individuals, children and babies.
The money, which represented two months of overtime, accumulated after staff worked over weekends to make changes to the company’s payroll system. Rather than taking the money that was due to them, they agreed as a team to donate the funds to the home instead.
Payroll manager Constant Laubscher said the team also donated essentials like food, clothing, and nappies.
“We had already collected clothing for the organisation, but felt they could use the money, especially for milk and nappies for the babies. Thankfully, the company agreed, and we could make the donation. We are proud to work for a company like Sun International that supports communities and NPOs across the country, but we felt that individuals can also stand together to do good. Our department has an amazing culture. We love working together and we all share the same values,” he said.
Project House of Hope opened in 2013 and today the organisation feeds around 300 people, including children and toddlers, daily at their community centre in Danville, north of Pretoria. They opened a baby house in 2019 to care for babies and toddlers in crisis.
“We were taken completely by surprise. We are always looking for people to help and support us, so this donation will help to plug a few holes. We are so grateful,” said Lizelle Marucchi, the founder of the home.
“We are incredibly proud of our employees in the Payroll Department for their selflessness and commitment to supporting Project House of Hope. Their donation not only represents their hard work and dedication, but also reflects Sun International’s core values of positively impacting the communities where we operate,” said Verna Robson, director of HR at Sun International.