Santa Cruz IMAS Invests €10.5M in Social Aid for 56,733

The Municipal Institute of Social Care (IMAS), part of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, provided 56,733 social care payments (known as PEAS) during the first nine months of last year (January to September). Of these, 292 went to people with disabilities. IMAS invested about 10.5 million euros to cover essential needs like food, basic supplies, housing, prosthetics, and furniture for those who needed it most.

Charín González, the Councillor for Social Policies, shared these figures at a recent council meeting. She was responding to a question from the socialist political group about how these payments were used and their amounts in 2024. Over 9.9 million euros of this aid was spent on day-to-day costs.

The data shows that during the first nine months of last year, a large part of this social spending went towards food aid. Around 6.2 million euros was given to 51,418 people through 'Dinosol cards' for food.

The next biggest expense, over three million euros, helped 1,610 people with their rent, community fees, or mortgage payments. Following this, more than 287,000 euros was spent on prosthetics like glasses, hearing aids, and dental treatments for 850 people in need.

Payments for water bills reached 104,000 euros, helping 1,651 people. Nearly 60,000 euros went towards electricity costs for 376 users. Additionally, 151,000 euros was provided in vouchers or for accommodation, assisting 53 individuals. A further 10,400 euros was given to 40 users for general living costs, food, and pharmacy needs.

For furniture, appliances, and home renovations, over 300,300 euros was spent in the first six months of last year, helping 446 people. This included almost 117,000 euros for renovations (48 people), 107,000 euros for furniture (167 people), and 76,300 euros for appliances (231 people).

Regarding aid specifically for people with disabilities, 292 payments totaling 247,500 euros were made. Of this, 185,000 euros covered daily expenses like water, electricity, rent, and food, while 61,900 euros went towards larger purchases such as furniture, appliances, and renovations.

Looking at the first nine months of last year, September saw the highest spending by IMAS, with 2.2 million euros given to 10,185 people (including 152 for disability aid). April was the next busiest month, distributing just over 2 million euros to 9,549 people (none for disability aid). March followed with 1.5 million euros benefiting 15,245 people (also without disability aid).

Charín González, who heads IMAS, stressed that these payments are more than just financial help; they are a key tool for building a fairer, more supportive community. She highlighted that "every euro invested in these benefits creates opportunities, dignity, and hope for thousands of people in our city." She also noted that the long-term goal is to reduce the need for these payments by providing social support and personalized plans to help individuals and families overcome vulnerability.

It's worth noting that the Social Action Department of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, through IMAS, provided a total of 140,278 social care payments in 2024. Of these, 133 went to people with disabilities. The rules for these individual grants were changed following requests from various community groups to cut down on waiting times.