Reach Our Community - ROC Foundation

Institutional Overview: REACH our Community (ROC) acts a multi-purpose community center which supports orphaned and vulnerable children in the Heidedal community, aiming to offer learners a platform to rise above their circumstances. Using a family-based, holistic approach to child and adolescent development, ROC addresses the challenges facing orphaned and vulnerable children: poverty, familial u

nemployment, impacts of HIV/AIDS, single parenting or living with extended family, lack of caretaker supervision, home environment, and physical and/or sexual abuse. Institutional History: REACH is a national non-profit organization (NPO) in South Africa originally established in 1994 in Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape Province. In October of 2002, REACH Bloemfontein, an affiliate of the national NPO, was founded as a community development program working in the predominantly colored community of Heidedal in Bloemfontein in the Free State Province. REACH Bloemfontein was born out of combined inter-dominational church-based youth initiatives to address the impacts of and stigma surrounding high rates of unemployment and related societal issues such as crime and substance abuse, as well as high rates of HIV/AIDS infected and affected community members. REACH Bloemfontein is currently undergoing an institutional transformation, aiming at improved sustainability and greater outreach. In concurrence with this transformation, REACH Bloemfontein has changed its name to Reach Our Community (ROC) Foundation. Although our name has changed, our commitment to serve, develop and transform Heidedal remains steadfast. We are thankful for your continued support during this transition.