Ford donates pick-up to care centre

Ford donates Ranger to Missionvale Care Centre.

The Missionvale Care Centre is situated in Missionvale - one of the poorest areas of the city with a high level of unemployment. Founded in 1988 by Sister Ethel Normoyle, the centre has expanded over the years to become a multi-functional facility that provides a wide range of services to the local residents, from schooling to education, nutrition and wellness.

"Missionvale Care Centre has become a beacon of hope and compassion for the local community, and Sister Ethel and her committed team has done an amazing job in supporting and improving the lives of the local community," says Jeff Nemeth, president and CEO of Ford Southern Africa. "We are proud to be associated with the Missionvale Care Centre, and trust that the donation of the Ford Ranger single-cab pick-up will assist the centre in continuing and expanding its reach to those in need."

New classrooms

FMCSA and the Ford engine plant in Struandale, Port Elizabeth, have been supporting the centre for several years through its various community upliftment projects. Last year, Ford handed over a cheque for R40,000 to Missionvale as part of its participation in the Blacktop Rally. This assisted the centre with its fund-raising efforts to build new classrooms for the expansion of the Missionvale Care Centre Academy into a fully-fledged primary school.

Aside from the school, the centre also provides a child support and development programme, a clothing warehouse, community food gardens, church and community hall, a crafter's unit to assist people in manufacturing goods and starting their own small business, as well as an adult skills development programme.

A comprehensive range of community health services are also provided, including an eye clinic, general practitioner's unit, community health practitioners that provide home-based care and an all-important nutrition and wellness unit that feeds up to 1 000 people per day.