As you are aware we lost the premises we were working from at the end of last year as this place was offered to us on a rent free basis and then rented out to a paying tenant after we were there for two months.
It has been a huge struggle for the EPIC Foundation to secure new premises to work from and this has seriously jeopardised our projects.
We are at a point where we are unable to start up new projects – even though we have all we need, (except the premises), and sadly where we are unable to support the crisis centres over the province with the much needed comfort packs for their survivors of rape and abuse.
It has been an extremely frustrating and sad time for me.
The only way in which we will be able to secure premises for the EPIC Foundation, is if we can get sponsorship for rental. We can contribute out of funding we received last year approximately R5 000 a month – for a period of one year.
Our space requirement remains approximately 150 square metres, which makes this amount not even close to what is being charged. Rentals for this size is between R55 to R85 per square metre, which then still excludes VAT and utilities.
I am therefore putting out a plea today for any organisation who might be able to help us with sponsorship of the rental amount.
Failing this, we might have to close the doors of the EPIC Foundation, which will completely break my heart as I have seen the difference our projects have made to the community.
We have been supporting the following places with our projects, which will no longer have this assistance should we not find premises, and I know no longer being able to support them will also have a negative impact on them and how they manage the victims they see on a regular basis:
*Childline
*Teddy Bear Clinic
*Women & Men Against Child Abuse
*Children’s Sexual Assault Clinic on the East Rand
*OR Thambo Hospital
*Alpha Trauma Centre
*Lifeline – Jhb and Vaal
*POWA
*Ithemba
*Gauteng Department of Community Safety, which includes the Green Door Project
*Thuthuzela Care Centres in Natalspruit, Soweto, Mamelodi, Hammanskraal, Thembisa, Laudium, Lenasia
*Youth for Survival in Pretoria
*Ikaya Lethemba
*Daveyton Medico Legal
*Various smaller victim empowerment centres over the province who provides services to their local police stations
*Various women’s Shelters over the province
If anyone is able to assist us, please let me know.
Alta McMaster
EPIC Foundation CEO
082 940 6230
