Association for the Physically Disabled EC - APD

The Association for the physically disabled Eastern Cape – PE (APD NMB) is situated in PE and is a registered NPO.

Our organisation was established in 1940 with our Mission to promote the advancement of persons with disabilities and our main purpose is to empower these individuals in their personal capacities so that they, in turn, can become leaders for change within their communities. Our assistance enables them to be integrated into mainstream society – their rightful place.

We celebrated our 80^th birthday in 2020. We are known by the community that we serve. We have a proven track record of service delivery with a staff complement of 64 people of which 75% are persons with different types of disabilities and talents.

We are also an accredited BBBEE Level 1 status organisation. Over the last few years, we have transformed our sheltered workshops for adults with disabilities into a manufacturing facility – due to hard work and commitment our resilient employees,  APD has become competition for other companies.

The services our organisation has to offer are :

• Training regarding Sensitization, Accessibility and Integration in the workplace. I, Marcelle Human, am responsible for the training to Corporate, National and International Companies and Government Departments.
• Recruitment and Placement – I liaise with sectors regarding their employment requirements and find the best suitable person for the positions they have to offer.
• Our organisation has 2 Social workers – they provide social work support to communities and serve 2000 beneficiaries and their families in the NMB area on an annual basis.
• We have a fully-fledged sewing centre – whereby we manufacture and brand goods for clients.
• Wheelchair shop and repairs
• We offer parking disk screening and also issue parking disks to persons with disabilities.
• We also have a Fundraising Event and other funding initiatives

OUR BIGGEST FUNDRAISING PROJECT HAS JUST  HAPPENED!

The project slogan says it all: “Spend 67 Minutes in a Wheelchair - Change a Life.”

The Wheelchair Wednesday campaign is an initiative of APD Nelson Mandela Bay that gives business and community leaders the opportunity to experience the challenges related to making use of a wheelchair to get around.

This year Wheelchair Wednesday will celebrate its 10-year anniversary.

At the end of our 2021 campaign, we will, over the 10 years, have donated 1400 wheelchairs to needy beneficiaries.

At the end of each year’s campaign, all participants will have the opportunity to hand over the wheelchair they used during their 67 Minutes challenge to a needy beneficiary at the handover ceremony.

If participants do not have a suitable beneficiary, APD will be able to source one from their extensive waiting list. All the beneficiaries are carefully screened to ensure they fulfil the necessary eligibility requirements both physical and financial.

 WHAT IS EXPECTED OF PARTICIPANTS?

• With the help of an assistant spend at least 67 continuous minutes in a wheelchair
• Move within a prescribed area carrying out designated tasks
• Report back findings for follow-through by APD
• Nominate a beneficiary for a wheelchair

 

  WHO PARTICIPATES?                                                                           

• Business leaders
• Top sportsmen
• Community leaders
• Entertainment & media celebrities

 

WHEELCHAIR WEDNESDAY OBJECTIVES:

 

• Create awareness regarding issues relating to accessibility for people with disabilities within the private and public sectors of Nelson Mandela Bay
• Involve business and community leaders in making a difference by handing over 200 wheelchairs to needy beneficiaries
• Have business at large assess and recommend changes regarding accessibility
• Raise much-needed funds for the APD’s Ability Work Centres for persons with disabilities

THE PROJECT ACHIEVES SEVERAL IMPORTANT OBJECTIVES :

                                                                 

• Awareness: The 67 minutes in the wheelchair is an unforgettable experience that changes mindsets forever. Over 10 years some 2500 participants of Wheelchair Wednesday will have been exposed to wheelchair related challenges
• Community Support: The project has resulted in 1400 wheelchairs being donated to needy persons with disabilities over the past 10 years
• Improving Accessibility: The vast improvements brought about in many local structures and the mindfulness of our local citizens to simple matters like the importance of reserving parking bays for persons with disabilities is encouraging.
• Fundraising: APD provides work opportunities for some 64 persons with disabilities at their Ability Work Centres. With monthly running costs exceeding R500000.00 we need to reach out to businesses and individuals to secure our sustainability.
• Social Services: Our social work department have reached out to more than 2000 persons with disabilities and their families throughout the Nelson Mandela Bay region on an annual basis.

 

MARKETING EXPOSURE / RECOGNITION FOR SPONSORS

APD Nelson Mandela Bay is active on various social media platforms and we also regularly post news updates on our website.

In addition, we have good relationships with the local news and media agencies with whom we partner to promote our fundraising events and project campaign launches.

This has resulted in excellent exposure for our partners and sponsors in the past.                                                                                                                                                                                               

Further information on the campaign you can contact Marie Sin HIdge  on 0845867704

More visuals are available at : https://youtu.be/qbJa6UzEKVs

We kindly request that you consider supporting this life-changing project

WHAT ARE OUR NEEDS?

We are in desperate need of funding :

Our building is old and dilapidated – it needs maintenance and repairs.

Our fencing was stolen behind our building adjacent to the freeway.

Our premises have been broken into many times, once 8 times in a week.

We require vehicles – maintenance and repairs.

We are in need of 4 containers to store some of our goods.

Contact Details :

Marcelle Human at APD – Contact No: 041 484 5426

Our physical address: 55 Paterson Rd

North End

Gqebhera

OUR BANKING DETAILS:

STANDARD BANK

NAME OF ACCOUNT HOLDER;  Association for the Physically disabled

ACCOUNT NUMBER:  080195059

BRANCH CODE: 050017