Herbie and family determined to help

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Beacon Bay resident Jessica Macdonald, her toddler Maia and their one-eyed rescue dog Dobby have been handing out food and drink to those in need during their weekly morning walks during lockdown.

The East London family  has dubbed themselves “Herbie’s Helping Hand” because two-year-old Maia owns a VW Beetle pedal car replica of the one made famous by the Herbie movies.

Making their way around the Blue Bend neighbourhood every Monday, the team hands out sandwiches and hot coffee to garbage recyclers in need.

“It’s not the biggest project, it’s just something my daughter and I have been doing since level 4 lockdown in May. On rubbish collection day [Mondays] a lot of guys in the  area who are either homeless or unemployed come to look through the rubbish for food so we started feeding them once a week,” Macdonald said.

“We started off super informally at lockdown level 5 when we would just leave sandwiches at our gate. But as soon as we could go for walks or exercise for a few hours in the morning we started taking sandwiches and coffee with us and giving these out to people.”

Macdonald said as time passed and the lockdown was extended, more people could be seen picking through garbage bags.

“There’s definitely more people every week. I think we give out at least 20 sandwiches every Monday and sometimes we run out. On most days before we’ve even left our street we meet about four or five guys.”

As a travel writer, Macdonald’s income has dwindled over the past four months.

She said the realisation that lockdown had caused many people to be in a similar situation, and much worse off than she was, had inspired her to try to help in any way she could.

“When lockdown first started I lost a lot of work. I was so anxious and worried about not having that income. Then I started to think about all the people who have absolutely nothing and can’t rely on family to help them,” Macdonald said.

“I first went to a soup kitchen in Parkside to drop off whatever I could, and then visited the NPO Helping Those in Need, and they really inspired me. They have been feeding the homeless throughout the lockdown — they’re really amazing.

“At first I wanted to try to support them financially and make regular donations, but that just wasn’t possible because I’d lost so much work, so I decided to do something small around our neighbourhood.”

She quipped that Maia often told off Dobby for barking at people.

“It’s been really awesome for Maia. She loves taking our dog for walks and she loves her car that my husband made for her. She really enjoys it and we just walk around our neighbourhood until she gets tired.

“She was absolutely awful at sharing before this. Now she really enjoys giving things to people and likes sharing, which I think is a really good thing for little kids to learn,” said Macdonald.

She hopes the initiative grows wings.

“We are trying to set the project up formally and provide sandwiches, coffee and knitwear to the guys in need for the next 10 weeks. I got the idea for knitwear from a Facebook post advertising woollen garments made by a local woman who lost her job as a domestic worker and is now trying to make an income by selling her knitted beanies,” said Macdonald.

Macdonald has found a second knitter, and now wants to raise funds for wool so she can provide a market for the two women, who would knit items for distribution to the garbage pickers.  

“I’m so grateful for the funds we’ve received so far. The two ladies are already busy with the first two weeks’ worth of knitting for us.”

Macdonald, who is originally from the UK,  said Mondays had become her favourite day and while her isiXhosa was limited to very few words, the simple exchanges and smiles were wonderful to witness and be part of.

"Many of the guys are a bit hesitant at first but as soon as Maia says 'morning' their faces just light up."

• For more information visit the Herbie’s Helping Hand Just Giving crowd funding page at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/herbies-helping-hand
• Madeleinec@dispatch.co.za