Caring for future generations
​JUST CARE opened on the 4th May 2015, the anniversary of John Rathfelder’s birthday to whom this charity is dedicated.
John Rathfelder was a junior schoolteacher in Cape Town for 25 years.
After a battle with cancer, he passed away on the 26th November 2013 after which Kathleen and Jacquie, his daughter, formed a PBO (Public Benefit Organisation) in his memory with education as the main focus.
​Having done a great deal of research in the area, it was realized that there was a desperate need for an after-school care centre.
In 2015, in collaboration with the department of Education and the support of the Overstrand LED department,
who contribute to our salaries, JUST CARE was opened at Mount Pleasant Junior School.
​In 2017 we applied for the Lighthouse-to-Lighthouse charity walk
and were fortunate enough to win their award which was over R 500 000.00. This enabled us to achieve our dream of having our own aftercare facility.
​We rent the land in Malva Street Mount Pleasant on which, in 2017, we built our own aftercare facility.
WHAT WE ARE ABOUT
JUST CARE is a Public Benefit Organisation. There are approximately 100 children registered and a long waiting list which is a true sign that there is simply not enough of these facilities available to the community. We planned for about 30 to 50 children and within three days of opening we had 122 children registered. Constant financial aid is therefore needed to continue running this facility. We do have some generous local sponsors but are always looking for other ways to generate income.
JUST CARE is open from 12pm to 5pm every weekday and two meals a day are provided. There are also sports, life skills and overseeing of homework, that is monitored by the staff and volunteers. We provide a stimulating environment with balanced extracurricular activities to stimulate, educate, develop and most importantly to improve the value and quality of the children’s lives. Our future aim is to continue to grow and improve our service and dedication to the children to nurture them at grass roots level and create sustainability.
​Through initiatives small and large we can make changes in communities which aid in creating a better tomorrow.