Chairperson’s Report 2025
Thank you to every volunteer, member, partner, and all staff
At the end of my third year as Chair and my fourth year as a volunteer, I am reminded constantly of the dedication and hard work of the MACASA volunteers who dedicate so much time, energy and care towards the organisation’s success. Without the continuous work of our volunteers, showing care and attention towards our mission, we would not have been able to survive. I have had the pleasure of meeting more of you this year, and the positive feedback and comments that I get from our customers and members is always positive and reinforces how important you are. Thank you from the Board, from all the staff and from all of our members for all of your hard work and
dedication.
Funding and structure challenges
It has been consistently hard over the last five years in the not-for-profit space, with the increase in cost of living, the decrease in new volunteers, and the changes in government regulations all playing a part to make our work more and more challenging. This year we have again suffered the delays of the Commonwealth Government’s clarity and structures for the transition from the
Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) to the new Support at Home model – which has again been delayed to start in November 2025, and end in July 2027 which represents a delay of over two years from the original scheduled date. The specifics of this new model remain unclear, which is crucial for MACASA, as the funding structure will influence how we deliver services and could have a substantial impact on how we deliver our services. Many other Aged Care providers
are also struggling with the lack of information and guidance in this area.
Over the last year, we have been close to being unable to remain solvent. A significant issue that had us restructure again, to remove our home cleaning brokerage service, and to unfortunately lose one long-standing staff member. We have been fortunate to obtain some grants and alternative funding services to enable us to remain on an even keel.
Operations
MACASA’s remaining key services are our food delivery, events and transport. With the support of our Cooks Rhiannon and Ashlee, we have prepared an impressive average of 3,080 menu items each month, totalling 36,938 meals this year for our grateful customers. MACASA served 500 clients, with our volunteers driving 31,967.6 km, provided 7 social events and 30 luncheons
providing a total of over 3737.5 social support hours.
I would like to extend special thanks to our Services Manager, Madeleine Williams, for her tireless efforts. She continues to contribute and is always willing to step in for events and gatherings, even when she is meant to be taking well-earned leave.
This financial year, our only students were Jemy & Peter in sem 2 2024 who delivered great services whilst also improving their own skills and experiences – just another way that MACASA helps the community.
Our future
It has become apparent over the last few years that the Commonwealth Government do not have an aim to keep small charities alive, and so we can no longer just depend upon their funding for all our needs. MACASA needs to branch out and diversify into new revenue streams that will provide for our financial stability, as well as serving the community. We are now investigating ways that we can provide extended services to the community, reaching beyond existing MACASA members, and charge a small fee to cover our overheads. These aims will enlarge and engage our community, bring us all together, and build new connections. In the new year, MACASA will be providing more community services, by moving to larger premises and expanding our food services through our Social Enterprise banner of “Meals For All”. In preparation for this new direction and the use of new premises, we have developed a new Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals.
New Mission Statement
MACASA is dedicated to enhancing the well-being and quality of life for older people in South Australia, particularly those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and their carers. We strive to empower individuals to live independently within their communities by providing tailored support services. While honouring the unique needs of the Maltese community, MACASA
embraces diversity and works to ensure that all individuals receive compassionate, person-centred care that fosters inclusion, dignity, and respect.
New Vision Statement
To create an inclusive and supportive environment where older people from all cultural backgrounds, including the Maltese community, can age with dignity, independence, and a strong sense of belonging, contributing to a vibrant, interconnected South Australian society.
New Values
- Respect for Diversity – Embracing and valuing all individuals’ cultural backgrounds and experiences fosters an inclusive environment.
- Providing Enjoyable Food – Providing nutritious, culturally appropriate meals and food that promote health, well-being and a sense of belonging for all.
- Community Empowerment – Supporting older people and their carers to remain connected, independent, and engaged in their communities.
New Goals
- Great Services – we provide inclusive and personalised services for food, social, and life services
- Great Community – we provide community services and transport to connect and support our diverse members
- Great Food – we provide and deliver nutritious and tasty food and meals that our members love
New Location
Our lease at Cheltenham is coming to an end, and we have been able to obtain a new site in Croydon Bowls Club, taking over the Arch Paterson Centre. The new location will require some improvements and work, but the benefits include having access to our own hall that we can use for our luncheons and planned community events. We will also have more storage space, and
so produce more food for delivery, alongside the potential for more office space to allow us to organise and manage more community engagement and privacy for your assessments.
The Year Ahead
With the move to the Arch Paterson Centre, and with the connected increase in services and food delivery, we have the potential to step away from our constant battles to achieve break-even. This will allow us to rise above the increased cost of living, the decreases in government funding, and the increase in government process and paperwork. Whilst the changes and challenges in the year ahead will put us all to hard work, we are confident that with the dedication and flexibility of our hard working staff and volunteers, that we will have a stronger MACASA and community in the future.
Christian Wickham
Chairman