Police continue to serve their own through programme
For the past 40 years the organisation has been assisting retired police members and their spouses with holistic support services throughout the whole of South Africa.
Soshanguve beneficiaries of the Elderly Care Fund (ECF) were elated when they recently received a donation from the police’s employee health and wellness (EHW) programme.
Marketing manager Marna Mahlobogwane said that the ECF has a long-standing relationship with the police’s programme.
“Together with the EHW, we ensure that no SAPS member who retires is left behind.
“The police are seen in most cases as a big family who support one another and it is no different in the case of retirees. The staff of EHW donate non-perishable food in their private capacity yearly, which enables the ECF to support vulnerable retirees,” Mahlobogwane said.
She added that the EHW is not the only SAPS department that supports the ECF services. They also receive donations from serving police members who donate monthly or even host fundraising events where the ECF is a beneficiary.
The ECF is a non-profitable-organisation and was established in 1983 by a group of policewomen from the police supply chain management department to support officials and their spouses, by rendering a holistic support service.
According to Mahlobogwane, the ECF has been assisting retired police members and their spouses with holistic support services throughout the whole of South Africa for the past 40 years.
Services include preparation for retirement, support regarding medical aid and pension enquiries, bereavement therapy, emotional support, financial assistance, and support groups in the community to combat loneliness and neglect.
“The well-being of the retirees is very important to the ECF. That is why every retiree receives a yearly birthday phone call from the age of 75. Staff members and volunteers do home visits to celebrate the retiree’s birthday, or support the retiree during a difficult time.
“ECF is unique in that the volunteers are mainly retired or serving police members themselves and more than 80% of the volunteers are men. This just emphasises the fact that police members do not stop caring the day they retire from the SAPS, but keep on continuing to render a service in their community.”
The organisation offers the retirees a variety of projects, including:
– The Caring Bear project: Bears are hand knitted by retirees themselves and are handed out to police station’s victim empowerment centres. These centres at the police stations assist women, children, and older persons who are abused.
Each unique Caring Bear has a special message of hope from the retiree who made the bear, just to remind the victims of GBV that someone that does not know them cares for them.
– Caring shop: At the ECF offices in Waterkloof Holdings is a shop where one can buy pre-loved clothes and “white elephant” items, homemade cookies, jam, and handmade articles.
This shop is run by volunteers, who are all retired SAPS members.
– Support groups: Mainly run by volunteers. These groups allow the retirees to socialise with old colleagues, make new friends and have a place to share stories to reminisce.
Currently, the organisation is running a charity shop raising funds.
Once every month on a Friday they host a mini market and once per quarter on a Saturday, they host the big flea market with external vendors where clothing and other pre-loved goods get donated and resold to raise funds.
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