Staying Strong Toolkit: A gift with a difference
2021 has been a challenging year for everyone. However, this Mandela Day Free To Grow bought renewed hope and excitement into the lives of the EverGrow Foundation team. Established in 2013, EverGrow is a non-profit organisation well-known for its social upliftment programmes in respective wine growing communities.
Alinda Nortje, the founder and Executive Chair of Free To Grow, came across EverGrow’s Aware Ambassadors via LinkedIn and noticed the hard work that these wine industry community change agents were doing in the rural areas of the Western Cape. When she followed up with Caroline Poole, the CEO of the EverGrow Foundation, they immediately had what Caroline describes as a ‘heart connection’.
“Alinda’s passion for uplifting people and partnering for change was mirrored in our hearts and a dynamite partnership was formed,” explains Caroline.
The work done by the Aware Ambassadors is close to Free To Grow’s heart, as the organisations share a common focus on growth and development. Free To Grow therefore wanted to extend a supporting hand and offered the gift of its Staying Strong toolkit free of charge.
Caroline comments: “Our team is so very excited to start with this programme. Our Aware Ambassadors’ resilience is seriously tested by funding challenges on top of the everyday trials related to alcohol harm reduction in the rural farming communities we serve. This is exacerbated by the impacts of the pandemic not only on the lives of those in their communities but also within their own families.
Therefore, this gift could not have come at a better time. It will help us to pour back into our team the hope, resilience and peace they share so tirelessly with their communities.”
“Thank you Alinda and the rest to the Free To Grow team. Your gift has inspired us to be better and to do better. In this partnership with you, we feel that EverGrow Foundation is now free to grow!” concludes
Caroline, who looks forward to sharing the impact of this gift with Free To Grow and other interested parties.