SMG Cares – SMG

Transforming Lives: SMG BMW Constantia and SMG Partner with U-Turn for “Night on the Street”

Posted on June 3, 2024December 20, 2024 by Admin

On May 18, 2024, SMG BMW Constantia proudly partnered with U-Turn Homeless Ministries and SMG to host the impactful “Night on the Street” fundraiser. This event was designed to raise awareness and funds to address homelessness in our community, bringing together staff, volunteers, business leaders, and community members for a night of solidarity and support.

A Night of Compassion and Action

The evening began at the BMW Constantia dealership, where participants received welcome packs, including a warm beanie, comfort blanket, and water bottle. Throughout the night, participants heard moving stories from U-Turn champions, gaining a poignant glimpse into the realities faced by the homeless.

To emulate the daily challenges of the homeless, participants sorted plastic bottle tops to earn meal vouchers, reflecting the efforts needed to secure food and shelter at U-Turn service centres. This hands-on activity, coupled with the experience of sleeping on cardboard boxes even just for one night, offered a deeper understanding of the hardships faced by those living on the streets.

Fundraising Success and Community Support

Thanks to the collective effort, the event successfully raised R650k, with a target to reach R1 million. Generous sponsors contributed to the event’s success, providing meals, comfort items, and security to ensure a safe and meaningful experience for all involved.

Highlights included:

– Ryan Richens, CEO of Copper Collection – Patina Restaurant: Provided participant meals.

– Khalil Gangraker, Owner of Pickers Meat Market and Butcher’s Wife Restaurant: Breakfast sponsor.

– Joy Oldale, SUPAQUICK Diep River: Provided soup for participants and the shelter.

– Mr. Mohammed, OSMANS: Supplied comfort blankets and hot water bottles.

– Coin Security: Ensured safety throughout the event.

Moving Forward Together

BMW Constantia and SMG are honoured to have been part of this transformative experience and remain committed to supporting U-Turn Homeless Ministries. This event was not just about raising funds but also about fostering a deeper understanding and empathy towards the homeless community.
We encourage everyone to continue supporting U-Turn’s initiatives. Whether through donations, volunteering, or spreading awareness, every effort counts. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of those affected by homelessness.

For more information on how you can get involved, please visit U-Turn’s website: U-Turn Homeless Ministries (https://www.homeless.org.za)

Stay updated with event details and future initiatives on our social media pages:

BMW Constantia:

– [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BMWConstantia)
– [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/bmwconstantia)

U-Turn Homeless Ministries:

– [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/UTurnHomelessMinistries)
– [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/uturnsa)

SMG Cares: Empowering Student Entrepreneurs and Social Leaders

Posted on April 16, 2024December 20, 2024 by Admin

At SMG, we believe in the power of collaboration and education to make a significant difference in the world. Our dedication to creating a lasting impact on people’s lives led us to partner with the Durban University of Technology (DUT) on a project named EmpowerEDpreneurs.

EmpowerEDpreneurs is a unique project that links academia, entrepreneurship, and social upliftment. It is designed to empower academic students, student entrepreneurs, and student social leaders by creating a collaborative environment where all parties can benefit from shared knowledge, skills, and resources.

Our involvement in the project included hosting an industry immersion experience at the SMG Grenadier and SMG BMW Umhlanga dealerships. Additionally, our marketing team, conducted a skills development workshop focusing on the customer journey. Our participants gained invaluable insights into marketing, branding, and project management, equipping them to make a significant impact in their education journeys.

The collaboration with SMG has had a profound and lasting impact on both the academic and community levels. DUT Lecturer and Project Leader, Yâchal du Plessis, remarked, “Our partnership with SMG exemplifies the positive, long-lasting impact that industry collaborations can have. Thanks to SMG’s involvement, the project received top honours and 1st place at the 2024 DUT Engagement Awards.”

Through the EmpowerEDpreneurs project, SMG Cares has embraced the principle of “help the few, to help the many.” This initiative has positively influenced over 150 academic students, 12 entrepreneurs, and 7 NGOs in the Durban and Pietermaritzburg communities. These beneficiaries are now creating job opportunities and providing care for those in need, thus amplifying the impact of this collaborative effort.

SMG Cares is not just about corporate social responsibility; it’s about building bridges between education, business, and community service. We are proud to play a role in empowering future leaders and innovators who will continue to drive positive change in their communities.

SMG Cares Contributions to Leliebloem, Lake Haven and Siyajabula Centre: A Commitment to Community

Posted on December 22, 2023February 11, 2025 by Admin

At SMG, we believe in not just setting trends in motor retailing but also in making a

positive impact on the communities we serve. Our recent initiative across various provinces demonstrates our commitment to supporting those in need, ensuring that our actions align with our ethos of premium service and community involvement.

Western Cape: Supporting Leliebloem House

Our Western Cape dealerships have chosen to support Leliebloem House, an organisation with a storied history and a noble mission. Founded in 1868 as a House of Mercy, Leliebloem has evolved into a sanctuary for children from troubled backgrounds. Today, it stands as a beacon of hope, providing care for 60 children. By purchasing items from the charity’s wish list, we ensure that our contributions are both meaningful and practical, directly impacting the lives of these children.

KZN: Empowering Lake Haven Child, Youth Care Centre and Siyajabula Centre

In KZN, our SMG coastal dealerships, collaborated to support Lake Haven Child and Youth Care Centre. Since 1958, this centre has been a haven for over 60 children aged 6-18, who have faced severe challenges such as abandonment and abuse. Our team carefully selected essential items from the centre’s wish list, ensuring that our contribution makes a real difference in the lives of these young individuals.

SMG Toyota Hillcrest & SMG JLR Hillcrest collaborated to donate to Siyajabula Centre. Siyajabula Centre is an orphanage full of love and joy, founded in 1998 in the Madimeni Area in Molweni. Siyajabula is home to many children, some as young as 3 months old. Siyajabula Centre strives to provide a safe home environment for these children by giving shelter, food, clothing, and education, all grounded in strong Christian values. Even though the residents face challenges, the sense of family and happiness is unmistakable.The centre relies on donations and sponsorships from corporations and individuals to survive. The centre currently lacks important facilities to qualify as an official orphanage,meaning they don’t get the financial aid they need to keep running. SMG Toyota Hillcrest & SMG JLR Hillcrest are committed to further helping Siyajabula in the future.

A Legacy of Giving

At SMG, we care about driving change. Through these SMG Cares initiatives, we extend the warm, hospitable nature of our dealerships into the broader community, living up to our vision of enhancing every experience associated with our brand. We invite you to join us in this journey of giving back. Together, we can make a difference, one child, one disadvantaged community at a time.

SMG Cares 2021

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Admin

As the year draws to an end, we look back on 2021 with gratitude and pride. While we were faced with another year full of challenges, we cannot help but reflect on what we have overcome, and appreciate the courage and tenacity of our staff at SMG and the communities that surround us.

If there is one thing this year has taught us, it is that there is power in unity. Together we have fought, and continue to fight, against the spread and devastation of COVID-19, we rallied together as strangers in true South African Spirit and together we can make a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate. This was the inspiration behind our “Season of Hope” Christmas campaign, driven by SMG Cares.

This year, we were on a mission to reach further. Our KwaZulu-Natal dealerships partnered with The Robin Hood Foundation and donated an incredible 5 vehicle loads of essential items that will be distributed amongst the very deserving communities and organizations across various areas that they assist.

“Passionate about bettering the lives and futures of those in need, the Robin Hood Foundation is committed to mobilising resources from businesses and individuals and putting them directly into the hands of the poor grannies, needy mums and children in our surrounding impoverished and AIDS-affected communities.”

Our amazing dealers in the Western Cape donated toiletries and care packages to NOAH (Neighbourhood Old Age Homes), which gives comfort, safety and dignity to social pensioners in the Woodstock area.

“After a lifetime of working, many of these old people are stripped of their dignity and become victims of loneliness, destitution, abuse, illness and depression. Our vision at the Neighbourhood Old Age Homes (NOAH) is healthy & thriving communities led by our elders.”

SMG Cares would like to thank all our staff and corporate partners for their tremendous efforts to make the Season of Hope Campaign successful. And most importantly, to you, our loyal customers – without your support we would not be fortunate enough to be able to give back and bring change to all the lives that these organisations touch. We rise, by lifting others.

RALLY TO READ

Posted on February 8, 2021December 11, 2024 by Admin

For the past 18 years, it has been SMG’s pleasure to be part of Rally to Read South Africa, an initiative that helps underprivileged children in outlying rural areas develop their literacy skills. Together with the Department of Education, Rally to Read also supports and trains teachers in these areas to overcome the challenges that their formal training does not prepare them for. Our hope is that through our donations, the books, teaching aids and other educational materials we deliver to these schools, we can help to empower the future of our children by equipping them with the most powerful tool of all, education!

BIG MOMENT: Tyeni Primary Grade 3 pupil Miso Zonke, 8, shows off her reading skills during the weekend’s ‘Rally to Read’ campaign. Pictures: MARK ANDREWS. 28/5/2011. © Daily Dispatch.

WHERE IT ALL STARTED

The Rally to Read initiative was founded in 1998 after research conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council highlighted the desperate lack of educational resources in remote KwaZulu-Natal Schools. It did not take long to realise that the lack of resources was not specific to KwaZulu-Natal, and the project was then extended nationally. Research showed that the average 14-year-old child attending a rural school in South Africa had the reading age of 7. This places these children at a disadvantage in their ability to cope with reading textbooks on high school level, resulting in an increase in school dropouts. ”By reaching children at an early age, Rally to Read gives them the opportunity and foundation for a proper education.” Each year, SMG proudly rallies up our vehicles across KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape to deliver hope for this extremely worthy cause.