Fundació Ave Maria

Support for people with disabilities in Sitges

Fundació Ave Maria is a private nonprofit institution recognized by the Government of Catalonia. Since 1987, it has provided services for people with disabilities, with the stated goal of improving their quality of life.

Services

• A residential campus in Sitges covering more than 3,000 square meters, with 60 residential places and year-round operations.
• In-home care services.
• A network of supported homes in Sitges for adults with disabilities, supervised directly by the foundation.
• Support for the families of people with disabilities.
• Workforce inclusion, with staff providing support both within and outside the foundation.
• Training for professionals, family members, and people who need support.
• Volunteer opportunities across the organization's day-to-day activities.
• Research and development of products and procedures, including a robotics program with university partners.

Team and capacity

More than 65 staff members serve the people who use the foundation's programs, contributing more than 110,000 hours of care each year.

Projects and funding

The foundation has worked on Never Alone, a project co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through Catalonia's 2014–2020 ERDF Operational Program. It was part of the Garraf Territorial Specialization and Competitiveness Project for active and healthy aging and support needs, with a grant of €107,250 (operation code GO 03-003303).

Additional information

The foundation has an art collection and a legacy-giving program that began with a bequest from its founder, Rosalía Dalmau. Ways to support its work include becoming a patron, donating, volunteering, corporate social responsibility partnerships, fundraising celebrations, and bequests. It also operates a store.