Every city has people who need others to show up.
This Mandela Day, Ladles of Love is asking the people of Johannesburg and Cape Town to do exactly that.
The organisation is inviting residents, families, schools, faith communities, local businesses, companies and neighbourhood groups of ALL suburbs in these citiies to become Hands-On Heroes by giving 67 minutes of practical service in support of 20,000 preschool children in under-resourced communities.
The flagship events will take place at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Friday, 17 July 2026, and at the Johannesburg EXPO Centre, Nasrec, on Wednesday, 22 July 2026.
The idea is simple. Book your spot, arrive on the day and use your hands to help make something that will support children, families and communities who need it.
Ladles of Love has already done the planning. The venues are ready. The activities are prepared. The beneficiaries have been identified. All people need to do is come together and take part.
“Mandela Day should bring people closer to the needs around them,” says Danny Diliberto, Founder of Ladles of Love. “There are children in our cities who need food, care and support to learn. Hands-On Heroes gives people a real way to help. You do not need to organise everything yourself. You just need to show up with your hands and your heart.”
At the events, volunteers will take part in hands-on activities that create practical support for children and communities.
In the Make Zone, participants will join the Sarmiethon sandwich-making challenge or pack nutrition boxes for preschools. In the Create Zone, they will make preschool posters, flashcards and activity workbooks. In the Craft Zone, volunteers will create teaching aids such as bean bags, puppets and veggie trucks. In the Grow Zone, they will build grow boxes with vegetable and herb seeds to support urban farmers supplying preschools with fresh produce.
The items made at the events will go to those who need them. Ticket sales also help feed children, with one ticket helping to provide a child with two healthy meals a day for a month.
For local businesses and companies, Hands-On Heroes offers a meaningful Mandela Day staff activity without the pressure of planning from scratch. Teams can arrive together, take part in a shared volunteer experience and know their time and ticket contribution are going towards children who need support.
For families, it is a way to teach children that kindness is something we practise.
For churches, mosques, temples, schools and community groups, it is a chance to gather people around service and do something tangible for the city they live in.
“This is about neighbours helping neighbours,” says Diliberto. “It is about people from across the city standing together for children who deserve to be fed, nurtured and given a better start. When communities come together, 67 minutes can mean much more than people realise.”
Ladles of Love is a registered non-profit that works year-round to feed, care for, and support underserved communities, with a strong focus on vulnerable children. What began in 2014 as a small soup kitchen has grown into a national movement that has served more than 48 million meals since 2020.
Mandela Day gives the public a chance to step into that ongoing work.
This year, the invitation is clear.
Do something real for the people of your suburbs and your city. Bring your colleagues. Bring your family. Bring your congregation. Bring your class. Bring your friends.
Become a Hands-On Hero.
Event details:
Cape Town: DHL Stadium, Friday, 17 July 2026
Johannesburg: Johannesburg EXPO Centre, Nasrec, Wednesday, 22 July 2026
Tickets: R300 per person
Students and pensioners: R200
Bookings: www.LadlesofLove.org.za
Group and corporate packages are available. Section 18A tax certificates and CSI affidavits apply to tickets and packages.
SUPPLIED.
