More than R9,8 million has been allocated for a range of programmes and interventions to assist homeless people over the next six months, according to the City.
The disbursement of grant-in-aid funding to NGOs working with homeless people forms part of the City’s efforts to widen its reach in assisting as many persons off the street as possible. The City said organisations have signed their Memoranda of Agreement with the City’s Social Development and Early Childhood Development Department, along with nine organisations, which qualified for their share of an additional R650 000 in grant-in-aid funding for Arts and Culture programmes.
The City’s mayoral committee member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross, said this funding will be used to provide accommodation, developmental programmes, job readiness skills, mental health support and more to persons living on the streets in various parts of the metropole
The eleven organisations qualified for the funding are:
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Khulisa Social Solutions
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Haven Night Shelter Organisation
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My Father’s House
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Oasis Reach for your Dream
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MES
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Ladles of Love
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Isibane Development
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U-Turn
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Play for Sport
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Cape Mental Health Society
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Khululeka Grief Support
“The City of Cape Town continues to go above and beyond its mandate to bring about sustainable change in helping people get off the streets, and addressing the challenges that are hampering their reintegration. However, this is a mammoth undertaking that requires a whole of society approach, and the City recognises the valuable contribution of our NGO sector,” she said.
She adds that the grant-in-aid funding is one of the ways that they continue to support the work that they do, and they are confident that it will advance their overall efforts in addressing homelessness.
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