Councillor Helena Leal, who is responsible for social and education, among other areas, within Funchal City Council, recently presided over the opening of the ‘Solidarity Button – Social Store,’ in Rua das Pretas, a space that has been completely remodeled.
It should be noted that this is an initiative of Sociohabitafunchal, which started in December 2013, with the aim of helping the most needy families in the housing complexes of the municipality of Funchal. The store is managed by the Municipal Housing Company Sociohabitafunchal.
All types of household equipment and clothing are collected, from clothes, sheets, towels, curtains, crockery, cutlery, and small appliances, which are then treated and sorted, recycled and repaired, are delivered to families that are duly identified not only by the Department of Social Management of Sociohabitafunchal, but also by other entities and social organisations, which ask for help for families identified by them.
The goal is to free families from the expense of these types of goods so that they can use their incomes for basic and essential needs.
The Solidarity Button project is divided into 2 stores:
– Vintage Solidarity Button, located on Rua das Pretas, now completely remodeled, is a second-hand clothing and shoe store. It works through the sale at affordable prices or donation of new or used items, which are not of primary necessity for families but will prove popular purchases within the community as a whole. The Vintage Shop will also have a party hire section.
The proceeds from sales or donations revert in full to another social inclusion project of SociohabitaFunchal, which will support children and young people from the CMF housing complexes.
The project also includes the Quinta Falcão Social Store, which directly supports families, through a pre-scheduled personalised service, in a dignified, modern, and colourful space, where clothes are displayed and differentiated as if it were a shop, and where people can choose what they want.
In addition, the space also holds a variety of household goods.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
