Home support service extended to nighttime.

The Community Center of the Holy Spirit in Vila Nova has a new home service for the elderly at night. Yesterday, the Regional Government announced a 100,000 euro increase in the institution’s funding to ensure this service, which is considered innovative, and an increase in the number of places for food support.
“The new CCVC [client-value cooperation contract] allows [the institution] greater financial freedom and a substantial increase in home support places, especially by increasing the number of weekend meals,” said the vice-president of the Regional Government, Artur Lima, quoted in a press release.
On the sidelines of a visit to the Vila Nova Community Center, the head of the Social Solidarity portfolio revealed that ten vacancies had been registered for the “new service” of home visits at night.


“I’m pleased with the service provided by the institution and the innovation they’ve proposed of making a home visit to the elderly,” he said, pointing out that the annual funding for Vila Nova’s home support service will now be around 240,000 euros.
The new value-for-money cooperation contract also provides for an increase of 15 places for the lunchtime food service on weekdays, from 50 to 60, and an increase of 60 places for lunchtime meals at the weekend.
The personal hygiene service will also be reinforced on weekdays and weekends.
The vice-president of the Azorean executive also highlighted that the institution supports other social services in parishes in the municipality of Praia da Vitória by supplying meals.

CENTRALIZATION List of pre-schools by municipality
The single waiting list for pre-schools in the Azores will be managed by the Social Security Institute of the Azores (ISSA) and centralized by the municipality, the vice-president of the Regional Government, Artur Lima, revealed yesterday.
“What we want is a centralized waiting list, managed by ISSA, by the municipality,” said the head of the Social Solidarity portfolio on the sidelines of a visit to the Vila Nova Community Centre.
Artur Lima aims to end cases where the same child was enrolled in three pre-schools (crèches), tripling the waiting list, and situations where a child occupied a vacancy. Still, the family wanted to be transferred to another preschool, creating a fictitious waiting list.
The measure, which comes into force for the next school year, was announced last week.
“Waiting lists are for those who need them. I understand that parents prefer a particular institution, but free childcare also implies commitments and duties on everyone’s part,” he said at the time.

in Diário Insular – Terceira island-José Lourenço, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance)  at California State University, Fresno.