Heartwarming Display of Generosity Amid Virus Panic

The local Greek Australian community has dug deep despite the current uncertain climate to make sure our elderly don’t get left behind. Fronditha Care’s biennial Radiothon went ahead on Saturday and Sunday 21-22 March at the aged care provider’s Mulgrave offices, raising $105,360 over the two days. 

It was a hugely heartwarming effort from the Greek Australian community who understood the dire situation our elderly people are under as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens.

The thousands were mostly made up of small grassroots donations, from $50 to $100, with many commenting they would have donated more if they could.

“Those small donations were amazingly touching,” Fronditha Care CEO Michael Malakonas said.

“It shows just what kind of people we are - how much we care for our elders and how generous people are when they don’t know if they will be working in the next few months.”

Dementia care was the main aim of the Radiothon this year, to help the Greek Australian community manage with the projected increase of people with dementia.

The organisation is currently building a new 30-bed memory support unit (MSU) in Melbourne’s West, more than doubling its current dementia bed capacity in the region from 13 to 30 beds at a cost of approximately $6 million.

The MSU will be part of a new 92-bed world-class residential aged care facility that will also cater to respite services and continue our unique model of care, at a total cost of $18.9 million.

President Genie Pedagogos says the she was “incredibly touched” to see the constant flow of generosity over the two days.

“As Howard Schulz has quoted: “In times of adversity and change we really discover who we are and what we’re made of,” she said.

Find out more about Fronditha Care.