The grant-in-aid funding to 11 NGOs, totalling more than R9,8 million will be used for a range of programmes and interventions over the next six months. Today, the organisations 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 disbursement of grant-in-aid funding to Non-Governmental Organisations working with street people is an integral part of the City’s efforts to widen its reach in assisting as many persons off the street as possible.

The Social Development and Early Childhood Development Department (SDECD) has availed Grant-in-Aid funding to registered organisations for a number of years.

A call for applications was issued in March this year, with the requirement being that applicants should have a developmental or residential programme for people living on the street, focussing on breaking the cycle of substance abuse, anti-social behaviour as well as reintegration into society.

Eleven organisations qualified for the funding.

• Khulisa Social Solutions

• Haven Night Shelter Organisation

• My Father’s House

• Oasis Reach for your Dream

• MES

• Ladles of Love

• Isibane Development

• U-Turn

• Play for Sport

• Cape Mental Health Society

• Khululeka Grief Support

‘The funding will be used to provide accommodation, developmental programmes, job readiness skills, mental health support and more to persons living on the street in various parts of the metropole.

‘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. The grant-in-aid funding is but one of the ways that we continue to support the work that they do, and we are confident that it will advance our overall efforts in addressing homelessness,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross.

Source: City Of Cape Town