This year, we launched the Extra Drop Initiative — a simple idea with a big heart. It brings together the life-changing act of donating blood with the opportunity to support local charities across the Western Cape.
Donors receive a small token of appreciation after giving blood. Through this initiative, donors can choose to keep this token or have WCBS donate R15 to a selected charity on their behalf. It’s a small gesture that adds up quickly, and our donors have embraced it with incredible generosity. The initiative began in March, with a new charity selected every two months. Since then, our donors have stepped up for all five organisations chosen for 2025.
Below is a look at each charity we supported this year — and the impact made possible by your donations:
League of Friends of the Blind (LOFOB) – March–April 2025
LOFOB, based in Cape Town, supports blind and visually impaired children and adults through education, rehabilitation, independence training and community outreach. Thanks to 4,760 donors, we were able to donate R71,400 on their behalf — an incredible start to the year.
Hannah’s Place of Safety – May–June 2025
Hannah’s Place of Safety provides temporary care for abused or abandoned infants, offering a loving environment while preparing them for foster or adoptive homes. Over this period, 1,399 donors opted in, resulting in donations totalling R20,985.
Lucky Lucy Foundation – July–August 2025
The Lucky Lucy Foundation is a pro-life animal rescue organisation dedicated to helping abused and neglected animals. Thanks to 1,761 donors, we donated R26,415, helping the team continue the vital work they do every day.
SA Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) – September–October 2025
SABMR works to register volunteer bone marrow donors and match them with patients in need of life-saving transplants. With 1,728 donors choosing to contribute, R25,920 was donated during this period.
Together, these contributions amount to R144,720 donated to local organisations making a real difference in our communities, and we aren’t done yet.
Operation Smile – November–December 2025
Our final charity for the year is Operation Smile, part of a global, volunteer-driven medical organisation that provides free surgery for people born with cleft lip or palate. They also offer training, education and research in this field. We’re confident they’ll receive the same generous support from our donors as every other beneficiary has this year.
Thank you to every donor who has played a part in making the Extra Drop Initiative such a success. Your kindness continues to ripple outward, and we’re excited to support many more deserving organisations in 2026.
A New Chapter for 2026: One Gift, Two Beneficiaries
As we look ahead, we’re excited to share a small change that we believe will make the Extra Drop Initiative even more meaningful for our donors.
Starting next year, we’ll offer one token of appreciation for a four-month period. Alongside this, we’ll be supporting two charities simultaneously. At the end of the four months, the funds raised will be split equally between both organisations. This new approach will give donors who would like the token of appreciation and want to donate to the Extra Drop the opportunity to do both.
We’re delighted to announce that our first two beneficiary charities for 2026 will be:
- U-Turn, an organisation working with people experiencing homelessness, helping them rebuild their lives through skills development, rehabilitation and employment support.
- SANCCOB, a non-profit dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and conservation of seabirds — especially our much-loved African penguins.
We’re looking forward to seeing how donors respond to this refreshed format, and we have no doubt it will be embraced with the same enthusiasm and generosity shown throughout 2025.
