We assist and follow up on local service-users that are referred to us on an on-going basis by social workers. Assistance includes,
- Provision of one frozen meal for each person, and/or each member of the service users family in need, for each day of the week, serving on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays a hamper of dry food is provided.
- More often than not, depending on availability, we additionally serve bottled water, bread, soft drinks and pastries. Our clients include immigrants, homeless persons, single mothers, people undergoing financial difficulties, persons with mental health struggles, and persons suffering from solitude. Close to 18,000 frozen meals were provided in 2023.
- Once a month, normally on the first Tuesday of the month, the lonely, homeless and elderly are invited for a warm three-course meal at the Qawra Church Premises.
- Service users are referred to professionals at the FWA’s expenses, to assist them as the need arises
- In coordination with the Ronald McDonald Learning Centre, we have appointed professional warranted teachers to teach English Language to the Ukraine refugees, at different levels of the language. When we succeeded in coordinating with Jobsplus for the provision of such training, the FWA provided teachers for English Conversation classes, presently with three separate classes per week.
- On-going are activity classes for Ukrainian children to help them get through the trauma of having had to leave their war torn country. The classes are animated by a provisional Ukraine animator.
- Ukraine Mothers have commenced to get-together in activities wherein in they can fraternally discuss common matters in parenting and relief of stress.
- In hand are courses in the Maltese Language in coordination with Jobs Plus, and courses involving teaching refugees on Maltese customs and laws.
Other activities we organise for our service users include, Circus visits for the families, Christmas Meals, and Christmas Parties. In fact for the second consecutive year, the Franciscan Welfare Association has organized a Christmas party for Maltese and Ukrainian children who the Association supports during the year. It was a delightful party where apart from the games, good food and entertainment provided by the Balloon Man Malta, all children were given appropriate presents kindly donated by Ronald McDonald House Charities Malta. The FWA would like to thank all those who helped in the organization of the party including the Ukrainian Community in Malta.
Christmas is a time for giving and receiving and thanks to Ronald McDonald House Charities Malta that it is what the Franciscan Welfare Association is doing! The Ronald McDonald House Charities Malta has this year sponsored all the presents which, during Christmas, the FWA will be donating to underprivileged children in our parish including many Ukrainian children refugees. The presents were recently handed to Mr. Christian Fiott of the FWA by Ms. Stephania Dimech Sant, Executive Director RMHC Malta.
The appreciation of the Ukrainian Community to our assistance is touching
