In 2020, the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation (MCCFF) distributed €14,198,208 in aid to people in need while reducing its administrative costs by almost €200,000. In the same period, mainly due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it experienced a decrease of just over €1 million in the total contributions raised from activities. This emerges from the Financial Report for the financial year ended 31st December 2020, which was presented at the Foundation’s Annual General Meeting, held at San Anton Palace.
Addressing the Meeting, President of Malta George Vella recalled how the Foundation’s expenditure on medicines for oncology soared from less than €1 million in 2015 to around €8 million three years later, to more than €14 million last year. He reminded that this money goes to medicines that allow people with cancer to live a longer life, and that due to its vocation, the MCCFF must ensure that they acquire such medicines. These include cases of treatments costing over €120,000 for one person in one year. The President thanked those individuals and businesses who, despite the burden of the pandemic, continued to support the Foundation in its charitable work at a time when many important fundraising activities and initiatives had to be cancelled or organised on a smaller scale. They are contributing to helping strangers; a concept of anonymous charity with the knowledge that money will be distributed well, fairly, and transparently. He also thanked the government for, when the generosity of the people is not enough to cover all the expenses, it helps to balance the accounts. He also thanked the Chairperson and members of the MCCFF Board of Administrators, as well as all the staff.
For her part, the Chairperson of the MCCFF Administrative Board Marlene Mizzi spoke about the work, effort, and level of support the Foundation gives to society. She reminded that the MCCFF spends an average of €1.2 million a month in aid for individuals and families, including by funding 40 different types of chemotherapy treatments. Food vouchers cost the Foundation almost €20,000 a month – these are given to families, usually with children, who do not have the means to buy basic food and other things that allow them to live a decent life. The MCCFF also funds parents of children, or relatives of people, who are receiving treatment abroad and who, for some reason, cannot be alone. The Foundation pays for flights and gives daily food and transport allowances. During 2020 the Foundation paid for the air tickets of more than 50 people and funded more than 660 hotel nights. Overall, in 2020, more than 1,555 applications were approved, helping more than 2,500 people. There were also 227 applications from people with disabilities who also received assistance.
The MCCFF Chief Financial Officer, Mark Mizzi, remarked that, although 2020 has brought new challenges due to the effects of the pandemic, the Foundation has worked wisely to be able to accede to requests for assistance from those most in need. At the same time, an effort was made to keep the Foundation in a healthy financial position in preparation for the eventuality of temporary difficulties in raising funds during 2021 due to restrictions imposed in an effort to fight the pandemic.
The Auditor’s Report was also presented at the meeting by Claude Ellul, a partner at the firm KPMG.
The annual report for 2020 has been audited by KPMG, and can be accessed from the MCCFF website:https://www.mccff.org.mt/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/MCCF_ANNUAL-REPORT_03082021.pdf.