CASUAL DAY

Casual Day is a fundraising project where people are encouraged to go to work dressed differently for a day. To earn this right, they make a donation of R10 for the official Casual Day sticker. Proceeds benefit persons with disabilities.

Each year Casual Day chooses a wild and wacky theme – and 2011 is no exception. Participants are encouraged to unleash their inner rock star and dress up as musicians, rockstars or music groupies.

Casual Day is a project of the National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities in SA (NCPPDSA) with Absa as primary sponsorship partner. They further provide an infrastructure for sticker distribution.

Casual Day 2011 will take place on September 2, 2011. Through the 2010 campaign, Casual Day raised a record amount of R18,026,000 which represents a respectable increase on the 2009 tally.

Says Mrs Annelise De Jager, Casual Day co-ordinator, “Despite the fact that 2010 was an extremely difficult year for the project due to the industrial action in the education sector and the distraction of the Soccer World Cup, we managed to improve on the 2009 income. It is gratifying to see the enthusiasm and passion displayed by the South Africa public and the hundreds of participating NGOs and companies. We are satisfied that with each passing year, the project gains greater acceptance with the public. We believe the public appreciates the opportunity to support a project where they know that their contribution really reaches the people it is intended to assist.”

The funds are raised as a result of each R10 donation for a Casual Day sticker made by South Africans on September 3 last year. Stickers are distributed via the infrastructure of the project’s financial partner – Absa, Game and Edcon stores countrywide, and a wide network of participating organisations rendering services in the field of disability.

The funds are distributed to the following six national beneficiaries: The National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities in SA (NCPPDSA); Disabled People South Africa (DPSA); SA National Council for the Blind (SANCB); SA Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH); Deaf Federation of SA (Deafsa) and Epilepsy SA (ESA).

The Casual Day team has revealed the amount raised by the 2010 project at a series of roadshows across the country. The Casual Day Show & Tell functions serve to celebrate the outstanding achievers of the campaign.

More information from 012 663 8181, Fax 012 663 8188, e-mail: casualday@mweb.co.za or visit www.casualday.co.za