Specsavers Ópticas on the Costa Blanca have committed to collect items for three different charities this Christmas. The optician in Javea will be supporting Caritas Parroquial, the stores in the south of the Costa Blanca are supporting the Red Cross and the Calpe store is collecting for the Akira Animal Sanctuary.
Donations of non-perishable food items, toiletries and household products should be dropped into the optician at Avenida Del Pla 125 in Javea. The items that are particularly in demand are milk, breakfast cereal for children, tinned tuna, oil, rice, laundry detergent and nappies. Over the festive period, Caritas also give special bags with Christmas products such as sweets, turron and items which will make the families enjoy the holidays to the full, so they welcome these donations too until the 5th of January.
The stores in Guardamar, Torrevieja and La Zenia are asking customers and local residents to drop in shampoo, shower gel, soap, shaving products, feminine hygiene products and all types of home cleaning products for the Red Cross until the 7th of January.
Specsavers Ópticas in Calpe (Avenida Ejércitos Españoles No. 6) is collecting food, blankets and toys for the dogs at Akira Animal Sanctuary in Benissa and is a drop-off point for donations of items for the sanctuary’s charity shop until the 7th of January.
Why the charities need your help
Caritas is currently supporting 334 families in Javea by providing food each month and helping them with their individual needs, such as clothing and housing costs. They also run workshops to help people gain the skills they need to find work, and find a way out of the difficult situation they find themselves in. They are concerned by the number of families who don’t have enough to give their children something to take to school to eat, or buy them warm clothes and they are trying their best to support these families as much as they can. However, they rely on donations to be able to undertake this important work and look to businesses and individuals to help them.
Red Cross Guardamar is currently supporting 168 families in their area, a number that has significantly increased since the COVID pandemic began. As well as providing food and items such as personal care and cleaning products, they support their families however they need to. This includes visiting isolated and lonely people in their homes, helping to coordinate social services support for their users to make sure they are getting what they are entitled to, providing school materials for children, paying bills and medication costs for vulnerable families, and much more.
The Akira Animal Sanctuary in Benissa cares for up to 50 dogs at a time, which have usually been found wandering the streets, or if owners are not able to take care of them. This shelter depends on donations, sponsorship and fundraising to cover the costs of looking after and finding homes for the dogs that are in their care.
All stores are hoping customers and local residents will give generously during the holiday season. Visit www.specsavers.es to find your nearest store.
