The ‘feast of generosity’, held yesterday at Id-Dar tal-Providenza, was true to its name last night as funds poured in and residents, employees and volunteers took the opportunity to engage with the public.
The annual event, which last year raised over €1 million for the home for the severely disabled in Siġġiewi, is now in its 18th year.
The event’s aim is to alleviate some of the financial burden of running the home, set up in 1965 by Dun Mikiel Azzopardi: about €3.5 million a year is needed to keep it running.
Fred Bezzina, the administrator of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, told Times of Malta that the wage bill of the 200 employees was €2.5 million a year. A further €500,000 goes on food, medicine, clothing and supplies, whereas another €500,000 is allocated to maintenance and capital expenditure.
The fundraiser, organised by RTK 4 Charity and supported by APS Bank, also aims to create more awareness of the need for further integration of people with severe disabilities in the community.
In recent years Id-Dar tal-Providenza has opened two community homes to promote the concept of semi-independent living in the community – Id-Dar l-Akwarell in Qawra and Żerniq in Siġġiewi.
These homes host eight residents between them and the feedback so far has been positive.
In fact, to mark its 50th anniversary, Id-Dar tal-Providenza will next year be opening a third residence in Żabbar.
Other projects in the pipeline are better accessibility around the chapel in Id-Dar tal-Providenza itself and refurbishing of part of it. Mr Bezzina said that the disability pension was not enough to meet today’s needs and urged the authorities to make a radical overhaul of the system.
“At present disabled people are entitled to a pension that is 58 per cent of the minimum wage, well below their needs” he said.
He suggested that one solution could be to have a two-tiered system, giving a full pension for those whose disability is too severe to give them a realistic chance of employment.
On the other hand, even those whose disabilities were not so severe were finding it hard to get a job, he noted.
This newspaper spoke to some residents who expressed their gratitude to the public for their generosity but also made some interesting points. Brian Micallef, 50, from Valletta, urged the authorities to resurface the road leading to the home from Siġġiewi, saying they faced an ordeal each time they had to use it.
The marathon started at 9am with Mass followed by non-stop entertainment till midnight. An auction consisting of some 78 works of art from established local artists was held in another part of the complex.
Organisers were hoping to raise about €30,000 from this initiative.
President George Abela, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil and Archbishop Paul Cremona yesterday all visited the marathon to lend their support.
Dr Muscat, who presented a donation of €25,000 from the Good Causes Fund, spoke about the government’s commitment to support disabled people while heaping praise for the sterling work being done by Id-Dar tal-Providenza.