The Algoa Bay Council for the aged (ABCA), a non-government and public benefit organisation which provides supportive services to older persons living in Nelson Mandela Bay, has been struggling to make ends meet and even had to cut down on the number of meals served monthly due to financial strain.
According to fund-raiser and public relations officer at ABCA, Christa Terblanche, the rental income ABCA receives from residents for their accommodation, barely covers the facility’s expenses.
“Rentals include municipal services and, as most residents are SASSA pensioners, rentals have to be low cost.
“As SASSA residents presently only pay R180 true rental, the balance of the fee covers the metro account.
“We have had an extremely difficult past year, facing the unknown with increased expenses, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ABCA struggled to keep its head above water. It is our mission to respond in a manner with support that meets the level of urgency that our elderly face today,” Terblanche explained.
She added that due to financial difficulty, their service centres run at huge losses and can’t feed the elderly on sponsored meals on a full-time basis.
Subsequently, they have had to cut down on sponsored meal tickets from a daily average of 22 meals down to only 10 meals per month per individual.
“The residents’ need for food parcel assistance from the public and business sector is rising, as more and more elderly people find themselves with a monthly shortfall with an income of R1 860 per month.
“This is sadly the last thing our elderly residents invest in, as food prices have become exorbitantly expensive. We are dependent on the assistance of sponsorships and donors to try to ensure that our residents can maintain a relatively healthy level of social functioning and that their daily nutritional needs can be met,” Terblanche said.
“We desperately need financial assistance to keep providing meals to the elderly and would appreciate those who could kindly consider donating a meal a day at R20 per meal or R100 per week.
She mentioned that donors could also sponsor a panic button for each resident, after ABCA issued all residents with one, following two home invasions in 2018.
“ABCA covered the cost of each panic button to the value of R350. There is a monitoring fee of R22 per month. We initially had great responses in finding donors but these have dwindled and we again need financial assistance with these costs.
“Please consider donating to our security fund,” Terblanche pleaded.
For more information, Terblanche can be contacted on 041 368 8434. An e-mail can also be sent to: pro@abca.co.za.
