Caritas to allot MOP1 million from bazaar fund for new elderly home

Caritas Macau is allotting 1 million patacas of the funds that were raised during its 50th charity bazaar to fund the construction of a new aged care home on a plot of land that it acquired last year.
The piece of land – which is about 600 square meters in area – is located near Kun Iam Temple.
However, due to the existence of an old building on the site, Caritas Macau is restricted as to the height of the new building that it plans to construct.
Currently, the non-governmental organization is in talks with the Cultural Bureau, as it needs to observe the bureau’s conservation guidelines.
Paul Pun, secretary general of Caritas Macau, said that the planning would be completed soon, without giving an expected date.
“We will spend some money from the startup fund for the elderly home that we plan to build, which could amount to one million patacas, but we still need to raise [more],” said Pun in an interview yesterday with the Times.
“The place was already visited by the IC and we will soon be able to get the plan of the area,” he added.
Meanwhile, Caritas Macau is also set to allot approximately 600,000 patacas to support communities in third world countries.
The organization also aims to extend the operating hours of its “Good Take Express” service, which provides accessible transport services for local residents with disabilities to travel between their homes and workplaces.
Currently, the service runs only during the day but Caritas aims to extend its working hours to later in the evening.
“Good Take Express” provides services through its 12-vehicle fleet to some fifty people daily.
Another beneficiary of the funds raised from the bazaar will be the
“Upstairs and Downstairs Service,” which services the elderly and handicapped people with mobility problems or who are confined to a wheelchair.
“We have support from the Macao Foundation, but of course there is a certain amount that they give, so whatever the exceeded amount is, we need to raise to meet the needs of the individuals,” said Pun.
The Caritas Macau Charity Bazaar was themed “With Love, We Come Together,” featuring game booths and food stalls run by private companies, public departments, and civil-society organizations.
A charity sale, raffle draw, flag sale and various stage performances were also held during the two-day community event.
Last year, the bazaar attracted more than 50,000 participants and raised more than 7.5 million patacas.