Home for disabled makes a million, but it’s not enough...
Id-Dar tal-Providenza held its 17th annual fundraising marathon, organised by RTK 4 Charity, on New Year’s Day. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi
Id-Dar tal-Providenza broke last year’s all-time record through Tuesday’s fundraising marathon when more than €1 million flooded in to help the 98 disabled residents.
But this is just one third of the annual amount that the respite home needs to operate.
According to director Martin Micallef, the home needs €3.5 million a year – approximately €10,000 a day. Operating from three blocks in Siġġiewi and Qawra, it houses 98 people with mental and physical disabilities on a permanent basis and provides respite services to an additional 65.
Apart from the 150 regular volunteers, it employs 204 people on a part- and full-time basis, and most of the expenses – €2 million – go towards the salaries of these employees.
Another €500,000 is spent on maintenance, €500,000 on food, and another €500,000 to improve the home’s infrastructure.
The home’s expenses would be higher without the volunteers, and would increase if benefactors did not provide food on a regular basis.
At Id-Dar tal-Providenza there is also a community of four nuns of Santa Giovanna Antide Thouret who have been providing medical care since the home was set up by Dun Mikiel Azzopardi in 1965.
On Tuesday, Id-Dar tal-Providenza was transformed into a bustling hub of cheerfulness as the 17th annual fundraising marathon, organised by RTK 4 Charity, raked in the record amount.
The hundreds who visited had the chance to see where their donations are being put to use.
The home provides personalised services to its residents, including washing and feeding those who are not able to be independent. The ability promoters’ teams and support workers organise outings, including countryside walks and day trips to Gozo.
Workshops are organised for some residents who prepare stamps to be sold to collectors, while others grow agricultural products to be sold at a fair in Siġġiewi and during the marathon volleyball held in June.
Wheelchair dancing, gym activities and other sport events, including bowling, are organised to help residents maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. And while the younger ones attend secondary school and resources centres, some go to day centres organised by the State agency Aġenzija Sapport.
The home also has an ICT lab with assisted-technology hardware and software, and caters for severely disabled residents through electronic equipment called Opti Music.
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18 Comments
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Reginald Borg
Jan 5th, 11:14
Is the Church in Malta ONE?
Is RTK RADIO the property of the Roman Catholic Church in Malta?
Is DAR PIROTTA, a Home for disabled persons in Birkirkara, a Church Home?
Has it benefited in the past and will it benefit this year from the FESTA TA' GENEROSITA' 1/1/13 Marathon?
If no, why?
Who is putting spokes in the wheels?
Is it fair and just?
leo briffa
Jan 4th, 07:56
at least the Dar tal-Providenza employs 200 people and they are doing a wonderful job....yes I agree the maths does add up. 100 residents and the cost is 3.6million that's 36500 euros each resident, that's not even how much a normal family makes in a year for two working adults. but compare it to other projects like the building of a suspended parliament of a cover-less theatre and the reasons are OK!
Ronnie Callus
Jan 3rd, 13:27
Jien ma'nafx ghalfejn issa parti minn nies li taw (jew ma'tawx) qed jaqilu dawn li-spekkalozzjonijiet.Mela ma' jafhux li dawn in-nies iridu l-bzonnijiet kollha biex jghixu diccenti kif ukoll biex ihaddmu kemm jistgghu gisimhom biex ma'jiggamjawx go xi sodda.Taf x'jistu jghamlu dawn li qed jispekkolaw,immorru hemm u jghatu daqqa t'id ha jesperjenzaw dak li hemm go 'Dar Tal-Providenza'.
Cecil Herbert Jones
Jan 3rd, 13:21
Of course it is not enough. Life has become expensive in Malta, even more so that we became full EU members. The organisations helping the poor and disabled are the last to benefit from EU grants. It is high time Malta pulled up its socks and took care of this situation, otherwise we will keep staging fundraisers forever which are never enough.
B Ellul
Jan 3rd, 14:33
'Life has become expensive in Malta, '... did you read well the article??? '€2 million – go towards the salaries of these employees'.... want to pay less?
Oreste Calleja
Jan 3rd, 15:43
Life has become expensive - Blame the Eu.... Nothing wrong with pulling up one's socks, but If these are the only comments one can make about a story like this, life has become , or still is, tedious in Malta gemgem. Or still is. Business as usual.
Mark Frendo
Jan 3rd, 12:44
Il gvern, hu min hu, ghandu l obbligu etiku, human u morali biex jkun attiv economicament favur dawn ir realtajiet
Ms.D. Galea
Jan 3rd, 12:37
It might not be a bad idea if people remember to leave in their wills, a small legacy to this Organization .
sammy spiteri
Jan 3rd, 12:13
Nhoss li mhux gust li nies ifajru bl-adocc fuq post li l-poplu malti qed jaghti l-appogg tieghu .Lil kull min jikteb nghidu ghaddi ara hemm gew u dur dawra u mbaghad tkellem.Jien favur li jigu meghjuna kull dar li tospita persuni b'dizabilita. Ejja ma nippruvawx npengu stampa ta hela meta hawn qed jghidulek li jghaddu bl-ezatt.
P Mangion
Jan 3rd, 10:48
i do agree with Mr. Abela's reasoning - for such a small number of residents, there seems to be a heavy bill. what maybe is not written above is the possibility of round the clock presence of the staff which would mean shifts and hence the need of so many employees and volunteers. no one doubts the precious service being provided to our society, and hence we should all keep helping.
Richard Caruana
Jan 3rd, 12:13
Maybe only those who have to send a family member at the Dar tal-Providenza know very well were all the money goes and how many carers, specialists, therapists and all other staff is needed to run the place.
And that apart from an army of volunteers without whom the bill would triple.
O Galea
Jan 3rd, 12:49
What REALLY bothers me is that there are other disabled people in homes (St. Vincent de paule for instance) who desperately need some physiotherapy. I have been begging for this service for my husband and my request has fallen on deaf ears. I think they have two p/time female physios for the whole hospital. The best I got was when they visited him to tell him "we're coming"... that was 3 years ago
Maria Vassallo
Jan 3rd, 10:31
Ghaziza Dar tal-Providenza,
Prosit tal-offerta kbira li regghu tawk in-nies fl-1/1/13.
Iva, ghandek hafna spejjes.
Imma tinsiex il-Knisja f'Malta mhux lilek biss ghandha.
Hemm id-Djar tat-Tfal u dawk tal-Anzjani.
Fihom hemm ferm aktar minn 98 resident, qrib it-800.
Meta behsiebu Tonio Bonello (RTK) & Co. jaghmel maratona ghalihom?
Dawn mhux ukoll persuni fil-bzonn ta' kura u protezzjoni?
Fran Abela
Jan 3rd, 09:44
I have been donating to the Dar tal-Providenza since its inception. However certain questions comes to mind - how is it that there are 100 residents and over 200 employees ? I would like to be convinced that every resident really requires a full time carer. I have no hidden agenda but would like to know that the money I am donating is really put to a good cause.
Joe M Borg
Jan 3rd, 10:30
Mr Abela. You can be assured that there are NO surplus employees. Some residents need, practically, someone at all times, while there are all the specialists, assistants, nurses, cooks, maintenance workers....you name them. We must NOT forget the large numbers of volunteers who give a helping hand. Counting all the volunteers, the number would be much more than 200.
Marianne Tabone
Jan 3rd, 11:36
(1) Fran Abela, every little action you perform from the moment you open your eyes while still in bed needs to be done for these residents. Even those who can walk still need help to wash themselves etc. To say nothing of those severely disabled and who need much more help. Please believe there are no surplus workers!
They need care round the clock. I know first hand. I go there!
Marianne Tabone
Jan 3rd, 11:42
(2) If they didn't need full time care they wouldn't be there! The fact is that all of them need round the clock care. And this care does not consist solely of washing and eating and being put in a wheel chair. It means giving them a good quality of life. This means activities. All this means workers. Then there are cleaners, cooks, physiotherapists, ability workers etc. Go and see for yourself.
M Farrugia
Jan 3rd, 13:33
Sur Abela, li kieku ghandek esperjenza li persuni bi bzonnijie specjali ghndhom bzonn zgur li ma titkellimx hekk. Din id-dar hija miftuha ghal pubbliki sabiex jara ix-xoghol li jsir fiha s-senakollha allura inti tista tmur hemmhekk ( anki hekk mhux b'donazzjoni bhal ma kont taghmel ), iddur dwra mad-dar u tara b'ghajnejk hemmx hela ta risorsi. Kelma zejda hsara tista taghmel u mhux gid.
Please choose the reason of your report below: