“We made a structural change to the Social Action regulation, expanding the scope of support, now introducing a municipal social card for all families,” stated Castro Marim’s Vice-President, Filomena Sintra.
Sintra, speaking after the public presentation of the program held today in Castro Marim, clarified that this mechanism was previously focused on the elderly, but now all can benefit from social advantages with this card.
The vice-president highlighted the introduction of the “Castro Marim Takes Care of You” brand, which, apart from social measures, includes initiatives in health, entrepreneurship, and fiscal areas in that district of Faro.
“We now have rental support measures, subsidizing rental contracts for up to a year, renewable up to 36 months, depending on family size, in cases where national mechanisms do not align,” the official exemplified.
The municipality will also offer support for “housing improvement and maintenance,” announced the vice-president of the Algarve council.
“Instead of the Chapel intervening directly, financial support will be granted—similar to how the State provides subsidies to municipalities for their own investments—and we will support investment in housing rehabilitation through minor interventions,” she explained, noting that this support will have a maximum limit of 20,000 euros.
The vice-president believed that the support measures presented provide solutions across “various fronts” and, apart from housing, also focus on birth rates, creating conditions for greater population retention in the county.
“We radically changed the birth support measure, which was previously only for needy families, but now it’s for all families with children registered in Castro Marim,” she stated.
Families who have children and register them in Castro Marim will receive a “gift box, a ‘baby box,’ inspired by a Finnish model,” valued at 500 euros per child born, which increases to 1,000 euros if it’s a needy family, she noted.
In order to bring the message closer to children, characters have been created, such as a stork, inspired by one that roamed the streets of Castro Marim in the late 20th century and became a symbol of the locality, along with flamingos, a species often seen in the Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António Natural Reserve, she pointed out.
“[The characters] Welcome newborns of Castro Marim, with a message and local products for the child, including natural soaps, natural sponges, bibs, diapers, and embroidered blankets,” she exemplified.
In addition to housing and birth rates, the vice-president emphasized the importance of educational support measures, particularly those provided by the Active Holidays program “for all children in the district.”
“And I want to remind that 40% of the children in the Castro Marim district do not reside there,” she noted, deeming it a “great challenge” to keep 300 children engaged in activities, while in return, families receive significant support, keeping their children occupied during school holidays.
