Dundee’s Adult Care grateful for a surge in donations from a generous public

Cuts in government subsidies have left many welfare-related facilities like the Dundee Adult Centre short of money, impacting their ability to provide for the residents. The centre, in central Dundee, cares for over 55 intellectually disabled men and women from the district and beyond.

Willie Steenberg, who recently took over as chairperson of the Adult Care Centre Committee, said ‘it’s heartbreaking to see that sometimes the residents are only fed bread and jam, as that is all that’s available’.

“There is also a need to replace the mattresses and other necessities such as towels because the reality is that for the majority of residents, the centre is their only home, as they never get visits from family – so these residents become almost like adult orphans,” Steenberg said.

With this stark reality in mind, Dundee’s Round Table decided to adopt the Care Centre as its 2024 project. Dundee Round Table chairperson Chris Purcell said that using the service club’s Winter Knights project, members encouraged the public to drop off blankets, tinned food and other supplies at the golf club last Friday, which were donated to the centre.

“We complain when it’s cold, but are always able to turn to a warm bed and even put on a heater in winter. “The folk at the Care Centre do not always have that luxury, so it is heartening to see that so many came out on a winter’s night to the golf club to spend time with the staff and committee members of the centre and Round Table and donate much-wanted items,” Purcell said.

Steenberg said he and his committee were overwhelmed with the response.

“We did not only receive blankets and food, etc, but some responded to the advert in the Courier by even donating money, for which we are really grateful. “The public can rest assured that all these items will be for the benefit of our residents.”

Adult Centre overwhelmed by piles of donations An official handover of piles of donations – clothing, haberdashery, food and other goods – was done last Thursday at the centre, with Andre and Dalene Minnie and Brian Moolman of the Fundraising Committee saying they were overwhelmed by the generosity of the community, which was fuelled by Round Table’s Winter Knights evening and the initiative of centre committee chairperson Willie Steenberg.

“We have had such a response to the initiative since the Courier reported on the need for food and other items to assist those in our care there. We have had anonymous donations of meat from as far as Bloemfontein, local businesses have come on board, as well as a guest house, while some Round Tablers have taken money out of their own pockets to feed the residents. We are truly grateful. “The saying goes that it takes a village to raise a child but in this case, it took a few villages to help our centre,” said Steenberg.

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