WELFARE homes are struggling to make ends meet after their hopes for large donations during Chinese New Year were dashed due to coronavirus containment measures such as movement restrictions.

They told The Malaysia Insight they are using up their reserves to fund their daily operations.

Some of them said they could be forced to closed in six months if the situation persists.

Persatuan Rumah Caring Kajang founder Wendy Yap said this Chinese New Year had brought the fewest visitors on record.

“Many individuals and companies usually visit and donate cash and goods, but this year, the number of visitors dropped by 90%,” Yap said.

People said it was inconvenient to come to the centre while the usual benefactors are facing financial challenges, she said.

The centre in Kajang was founded 17 years ago and now houses 61 elderly people. 

Currently, Yap is in desperate need of money to renew the road tax on the centre’s two vehicles.

“We use these vehicles to shuttle our residents to their doctors’ appointments or for our volunteers to travel around, but we are unable to pay the road tax and we don’t know what to do.

“In the past, when a kind-hearted person came to our door, they would give assistance and help solve our problems after they listen to our problems. This year, the situation is different as visitors are fewer.”

Appeals to some benefactors have received the response to “play it by ear”, Yap added.

“I don’t know how we will get through this year. Our four full-time workers have received their salaries late every month.

“We tried to raise funds online but the response was not good.

“We are using our reserves to survive. If the situation does not improve after half a year, we must plan for the worst.”

Food is not a problem as yet as people are still donating dry goods. However, food wastage sometimes occurs when many people deliver cooked food to the centre on the same day.

The Handicapped And Mentally Disabled Children Association Selangor in Banting, which cares for 400 children, is also facing a drop in donations.

Association coordinator Chan Chee Wang said visitors were deterred by the centre’s remote location.

“The movement restrictions that bar people from crossing state and district borders have not helped. “

Chan said the centre is operating on funds that were saved from the Chinese New Year last year.

Chan said donations were also less because of fundraising scams which have tarnished legitimate welfare homes.

“Scammers use telecommunications to raise funds, and cause people to view those of us who are legal negatively. We are not involved but get implicated.”

It is difficult to even raise just RM300, he said.

Chan is thankful that the butchers and other  traders in the market near the home have been donating food.

House of Love founder Joseph Pang is also hoping the pandemic will end soon so that he can hold fundraising activities.

“Online fundraising is not impossible but it requires a certain network of contacts to be successful. But with charity dinners, it is easier to communicate and achieve goals.”

Pang’s centre in Klang, Selangor, was founded in 2012 and is now in its ninth year. It needs about RM20,000 a month for operations.

“We have to 26 children and their education to pay for, plus the salaries of the staff.

He too is dipping into the savings to keep the home going.

“We were hoping to raise RM70,000 to RM100,000 this Chinese New Year to see us through the second half of the year. But now we have to grit our teeth and pull through.

“If we were to rely on reserves and receive no donation at all, we will only last for a year at most.”

Pang said food is also running low. 

In addition to housing 26 children, the home also sponsors poor children and needy families.

“We donate dry goods to them and we need more than a tonne of rice every month. What we have in our inventory to enough for only three months.

“I have sponsored these children and families for at least seven years and I can’t just stop now.”

He said he and his wife grow vegetables and sell fish to supplement their income.

“Although the road ahead is getting more and more difficult, we will continue to do what we can, including doing some business on our own, to support these children.” – March 3, 2021.