Life

Hope for those in need

By Laura Morgan (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-12-13 08:39

A sing-along session for children during Roundabout's charity brunch in Shunyi. [Photo/China Daily]

Winter in northern China is unforgiving. As the temperature drops outside, life becomes much harder, and for those who don't have proper homes, simply staying warm is a major priority.

This month, Beijing-based Roundabout Distribution Store has been working hard to raise money to provide elderly homeless people in Hebei province with duvets and warm clothes to help them get through the long winter.

Roundabout, which works with 46 organizations in Beijing and many more nationwide, is currently working with a church group in Hebei province to give homeless elderly people a little hope this year.

"The needs are gigantic, especially in the case of mentally-challenged men and women who have no family to look after them in their old age," explained Leslie Simpson, Roundabout's founder. "They are struggling to survive. They have to beg for every meal."

In order to raise money for this cause, Roundabout held a charity brunch at Michael's Place in Shunyi. Attendees were treated to a buffet brunch, scoops of Cold Stone ice-cream, and there were craft and sing-along sessions for the children.

Fifty percent of the ticket sales were donated to Roundabout and brunch attendees also had an opportunity to help further by donating money to buy gloves, scarves and duvets for specific individuals. The total amount raised was 5,675 yuan.

This is the second year running that Roundabout has worked with the church group in Hebei, already having donated many quilts and 3,000 yuan raised from a charity pub quiz earlier this month. Additionally, they have paid for several of these elderly men and women to enter a care home.

"For the first time in their lives they have food on the table, they have warmth and they have companionship," said Simpson.

Roundabout is based in Shunyi, where it has its own charity store and accepts donations of clothing, home furnishings and just about everything - excluding illegal DVDs, pet used items or soiled clothing.

Leftover electric and kitchenware items are sold in the store. The money generated from sales is used to cover running costs and buy more needed items like blankets and warm clothes.

Simpson set up Roundabout after spending time volunteering in a foster care home, as a way to relieve the burden on local charities and orphanages.

Roundabout acts as a central point for these organizations - a place where the sorting of donations is done beforehand, so orphanages, care homes and charities don't need to spend time sifting through bags of donated items. Instead, organizations send a "wish list" to Roundabout and they provide exactly what's needed.

"If an orphanage wants 20 baby vests, we get 20 good quality baby vests delivered to their door," said Simpson, also explaining that they may even cover the cost of a heating bill for an organization.

"For China Little Flower Orphanage, we paid their heating bill this year so that they didn't have to spend time raising money."

Roundabout approaches each organization or individual with the goal of meeting all of their needs.

"For each scenario, we find out how much money is needed and then we find that money."

Simpson has big plans for the future and recently began working with government officials, who are inviting them to work with more organizations.

They also hope to perfect their charity model and expand to other Chinese cities, with the hope of eventually passing it over to Chinese administration.

"The ultimate goal is for Chinese people to be running this for Chinese people."