Johannesburg - “Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting.”
Unfortunately, one Cape Town family remembered their donation to a local children’s shelter a little too much ‒ and then asked for their donation back.
Katherine Brink, a child expert and who runs the Little Brinks NPO, was so shocked at the family’s peculiar U-turn demand and their subsequent threat of legal action, she turned to social media and asked for advice.
“I’m just still in absolute horror,” said Brink, who had only known the donor from Facebook for several years.
“She asked to bring her daughter to drop off donations. I said yes as we normally make an appointment and do a handover, so the kids don’t get too over-excited and go through the toys before I can see who needs what and dish it out fairly.”
Brink and her husband Danny have been running the NPO from Cape Farms since 2008 when they saw the need for someone to step in and try to make the lives of children a little bit better.
She said on August 20 the donor and her daughter brought the box of toys.
“We don’t usually allow donations to be handed out to kids without us going through everything and making sure it is age appropriate and safe, but the mom was very excited to have her daughter hand them out so we let it slide and all the kids were so excited because of the box being brought in.”
Ten days later, and to Brink’s complete shock, she received a message that two dolls and one horse stuffed toy need to be returned. But the items had already been given to children, who, by then, had left the safe house.
This week, Brink received a call from from the woman’s former partner who said the box of toys were, in fact, not meant for donations.
“He said we need to find everything and it must not be damaged. However the kids in care are all special needs and I could never guarantee that, ever. He said the box was not his ex’s to donate and he wants everything back. He said he doesn’t care what I think, he wants them back so he could sell them.”
So Brink tried to pry away a doll which had been given to a two-year-old girl called Olivia. She had to do so because the man was threatening her with legal action.
“She sobbed, telling me the girl gave her the toys and it’s hers. She is 2 and has fetal alcohol syndrome so rules and consistency are very important in her life. This is heartbreaking.
“Wow. This is a first. We haven’t paid all our bills and now I need to pay R10 000 for donations hand given,” said Brink.
“In 20 years of doing charity work I have never had someone come back and do this. I would have understood one item by accident or even a couple, but to demand the entire box and threaten legal action was a first.”
Brink said funding for the NPO was always a challenge because there are children of all ages at the safe house.
“We try to assist dozens of families and have soup kitchens each day. We always need food, clothing and household goods.”
If you would like to assist the Little Brinks NPO, make a donation to: Little Brinks, FNB account number 62561709571, Branch code 250655, email [email protected] or visit the Facebook page, Little Brinks NPO 176-343.