Footprints 4 Sam’s Super Sam Hero Bucket initiative reaches R1 million milestone ahead of festive season

As South Africa enters the festive season, a time of heightened need for vulnerable families, the Footprints 4 Sam Trust is marking a remarkable milestone: over R1 million invested to date in providing Super Sam Hero Buckets (filled with essential food and vital toiletries) to families with children living with a life-limiting illness.

To honour this achievement, the Trust is delivering 210 Super Sam Hero Buckets this December across Johannesburg, Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal, bringing hope, nourishment and dignity to families navigating one of life’s heaviest journeys. Deliveries include:

• ⁠⁠Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital
• ⁠⁠Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, Johannesburg
• ⁠⁠Tembisa Hospital
• ⁠⁠Paedspal (Cape Town) - A key Paediatric Palliative partner of The Trust
• ⁠⁠Beneficiaries supported by the Super Sam Hero Vehicle Initiative in Cape Town
• ⁠⁠General Justice Gizenga Mpanza Regional Hospital, Stanger, KZN

A Million Rand of Love, one Bucket at a Time

Since 2017, the Trust has delivered hundreds of buckets, each one filled either with essential food supplies or vital toiletries for underprivileged mothers and children. A single food bucket can sustain a family of four with around 168 meals, contributing to over  250 000  meals delivered to date.

What began as Melissa and Fred Platt’s deeply personal tribute to their son Sam, who passed away at 15½ months after spending his entire life in hospital, has grown into a national legacy of resilience, compassion and change.

“Reaching the R1 million mark is incredibly emotional for us,” says Melissa Williams-Platt. “This isn’t just a number. It represents thousands of moments where a parent didn’t have to worry about the next meal, or where a mom in crisis now had access to basic toiletries for her and her family. Every bucket is Sam’s legacy in action.”

Tangible Festive Season relief for families in crisis

For many families, the festive season brings heightened financial pressure, emotional strain and the constant weight of caring for a sick child. The Super Sam Hero Buckets ease this burden, allowing parents to focus on what matters most, their child’s wellbeing.  In Cape Town, doorstep deliveries will once again be made possible through the Super Sam Hero Vehicle Initiative, ensuring that children and families supported by Red Cross, Paedspal and other hospitals are not forgotten during this challenging time of year.

Melissa expressed deep gratitude to the Trust’s long-standing partners. “We simply could not do this alone,” she said. “Triton Express has transported our buckets free of charge since the very beginning, and the incredible Checkers team - especially Evelyn and Josie from the Winifred Mandela Precinct Store (formerly Nicol Way) lovingly packs every single bucket. These collaborations allow us to scale our impact and reach families who might otherwise be forgotten, especially during the festive season.”

The Super Sam Hero Bucket Initiative forms just one part of the Trust’s broader impact. Footprints 4 Sam runs six key initiatives, all designed to serve underprivileged children living with life-limiting or chronic illnesses, their families, and the health professionals who care for them. Each initiative and their associated programmes deliver tangible, measurable support rooted in dignity, compassion and the belief that every child’s journey matters.

To donate or learn more, visit footprints4sam.org