When Lara* reached a point in her life where she could not even afford a sandwich for her children, it was the St Jeanne Antide Foundation that stepped in to help prop up the family of five.
The foundation provided her family with basic necessities such as food and detergents so they could pull through another month.
Most of the items donated by the foundation are usually collected in December through a reverse advent calendar initiative and continue to come in for a few months into the new year.
This year, however, the rising cost of living has left a negative impact on donations.
Throughout December, benefactors are encouraged to put one item a day – such as a jar of tomato sauce, a packet of rice or dishwashing liquid – in a box and take the supplies to Ċentru Antida in Tarxien, Miriam Grech, a family support worker at the foundation, explained.
The items are then distributed on a monthly basis to some 60 vulnerable families who are referred to the foundation by social workers.
“Sometimes they are out of employment as they are recovering from abuse, caring for sick relatives, or receiving therapy themselves,” she said.
Throughout the year, some 400 families are supported by the foundation, which at times also steps in to cover expenses of hearing and visual aids that vulnerable children urgently need.
I couldn’t even afford to make a sandwich for my children
Lara has spent the last decade bringing up her four children on her own, scraping through each month, often resorting to borrowing money. Things took a turn for the worse when the children’s father halted financial support and she herself developed health issues.
“I couldn’t even afford to make a sandwich for my children. I had given up on life and used the little mental energy I had left to speak to the foundation. Thank God I did,” she said.
“They fed us, dressed us and provided us with basic needs.
“It might not seem much to others, but when you’re constantly caught between paying the rent or feeding your children, you realise that the foundation is a lifesaver.”
After paying the monthly rent, Lara is left with €100 to cover utility bills, school items and medicine, among others.
Her constant fear remains ending up homeless.
Lorraine* is similarly struggling – she underwent several operations and treatment linked to cancer over a few years, and is unable to work at the moment.
With two children dependent on her, social benefits are not enough.
“Most often, the only thing we eat is pasta. We don’t eat out and can’t afford trips to the hairdresser. The Christmas season is especially hard on us as we can see others having a really good time, meeting friends and being pampered,” she said.
“Sometimes, it feels like I’m not living, but just existing. Had it not been for the foundation, I don’t think I would still be around.
“They are everything to me – apart from practical support, they also provide moral support especially because I have no relatives to turn to. They are just a phone call away.”
You can help people like Lara and Lorraine by calling on 7929 7153 for more information about the reverse advent calendar, or to inquire about the kind of support that the foundation needs.
Alternatively, look up the Facebook page Fondazzjoni St Jeanne Antide.
* Names have been changed to protect vulnerable service users.