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Ondara’s council has approved a new scheme providing shopping vouchers for essential goods to residents facing financial hardship. The initiative, funded by the Department of Social Services, aims to ensure that vulnerable families have access to basic necessities such as food, personal hygiene items and cleaning products. The decision was formalised on November 5, during a meeting at Ondara Town Hall attended by the Mayor, José Ramiro; Councillor for Social Services, Raquel Mengual; technical advisor Pedro Gil; and representatives from Ondara charity Cáritas. The system will operate through rechargeable cards that can be used in local shops. This measure stems from commitments made during May’s Solidarity Forum, which brought together the Town Hall, Social Services, Red Cross, AECC, Cáritas and the Local Police to coordinate support for those in need. The contract for supplying the shopping vouchers has been awarded to the company Juan Fornés Fornés S.A. The total budget allocated is €14,004, distributed across 2025 and 2026. Cáritas Ondara will identify the beneficiary families based on clear criteria of vulnerability and social exclusion. Families receiving similar assistance from other programmes will not be eligible. Beneficiaries will need to show ID and may only use the vouchers for essential products, including fresh food, dairy, meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, and personal hygiene or household cleaning items. Cáritas will also handle authorisations in exceptional cases. Cáritas Santa Anna assisted 69 families in 2024 and calls for public support In a separate update, the local branch of Cáritas Santa Anna has reported that during 2024 it supported 69 families, including 23 children, thanks to the dedication of ten volunteers. The charity welcomes families every other Monday from 4.30pm to 6.30pm at its premises on Església Street, where it offers guidance, accompaniment and community support. Throughout the year, Cáritas Santa Anna received €6,625 from parish collections, €395 in private donations and €3,950 from diocesan support or grants. These funds were used to cover food expenses (€2,420), housing aid (€430), health and education (€633), along with an extraordinary contribution of €7,365 to assist with the DANA emergency. The organisation has issued an appeal to local residents to continue supporting its mission through donations, voluntary work or bank transfers, helping to “open paths of hope” and safeguard the dignity of those experiencing hardship. Anyone wishing to collaborate can contact Cáritas Santa Anna via email at caritasantanaondara@gmail.com or by phone on 608 57 40 37.
