Avis donates car to St Mary's children home

Avis handed over an opel Corsa Lite to St Mary's Children's home

Johannesburg, 9 March 2010: Avis Southern Africa handed over an Opel Corsa Lite to St Mary’s Children’s Home in Rosettenville, Johannesburg. The vehicle will replace the home’s runaround vehicle, which was stolen in December 2009.  Money for the Corsa Lite was raised at this year’s annual Avis Travel Bags Luncheon where travel partners were asked to donate money towards the cause. The proceeds, combined with Avis’ contributions, were used to purchase the vehicle. “St Mary’s Children’s Home specifically requested a small car that would not be easily susceptible to theft,” says Branco.

Avis Sustainability Manager, Jessica Branco, says St Mary’s Children’s Home was selected as Avis’ charity after “Avis staff members, who had been involved in helping at St Mary’s on an ongoing basis, put forward a request that Avis provide further support to the home. The Corsa Lite will be used to ferry children to and from school and for medical visits, amongst others,” she says.

Established in 1902, St Mary’s Children’s Home provides a safe, secure home and therapeutic environment for children from families in crisis. Although it offers residential care, its aim is always to work towards the reconstruction and reunification of families wherever possible, and in this respect it cooperates with others working in related fields of Social Welfare.

Sonja Harmse of St Mary’s Children’s Home says the home is over the moon with the Corsa Lite. “Words cannot express how grateful we are to Avis. Since our car was stolen in December we have had such a problem trying to get our children to the various activities and appointments they need to get to,” she says.
 
Donating the Corsa Lite forms part Avis Cares, the car rental company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability programme, which reinforces the company’s powerful brand promise “People are more important than cars”, spanning three main areas of focus, namely environment, community and people.

With just over two months to go, the picture for the demand over the Soccer World Cup period is looking clearer the closer we get to kick off day. 

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