Dar tal-Providenza, the home for persons with disabilities, has thanked the people after €1,409,085 were raised in its annual New Year's Day fund-raising marathon. 

It said the funds will help it to continue providing the best residential services to 115 persons with disability that live in the Siġġiewi Home or its other community homes.

Fr Martin Micallef, director of the home, said at the end of the 12-hour event, televised on all of Malta's main TV stations, that he hoped that the solidarity shown towards Dar tal-Providenza on the first day of the new year would continue throughout the year with all those who need support.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, no visitors to the home were allowed,  except for a ‘drive-through’ where persons wishing to make a donation did so without alighting.

The TV marathon including appeals, telephone and on-line donations was held  at the WE Media studios in Qormi.  

An auction of works of art donated by various Maltese and foreign artists was held online and raised €28,605.

Various parishes in Malta and Gozo held special collections during church celebrations that were donated to the home.

On Saturday morning, Archbishop Charles Scicluna celebrated Mass in the Home’s chapel.   

The Dar tal-Providenza collection followed the €5,845,000 million raised for L-L-Istrina on Boxing Day and about €1 million raised by the political parties in their fund-raisers in early December. 

Dar tal-Providenza initially reported having raised more than €2.5 million on New Year's Day 2021 but the figure was later found to be skewed owing to an error by telecommunications company GO, with also affected L-Istrina and other events. The figure was later revised to €1.6 million.