The Fundació Ciutat de Valls in Valls has received €8,000 from Fundació "la Caixa", through CaixaBank, to support its social action programme in the city. This marks the fourth consecutive year the two organisations have collaborated to combat social exclusion.
The programme focuses on two key areas: providing aid for post-compulsory education and offering support for social housing. These initiatives aim to help families at risk of residential exclusion due to economic vulnerability and to ensure young people can continue their education without financial barriers.
Social Housing Support
For social housing, the aid helps cover a portion of rental costs for tenants who cannot afford their full rent due to unforeseen economic circumstances and lack other support options. Municipal Social Services assess the financial need and propose aid allocation, according to officials.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Housing Office works directly with landlords and tenants, setting up payment agreements that are regularly reviewed. Based on these agreements, the Fundació Ciutat de Valls pays the part of the monthly rent the tenant cannot cover. This programme started in 2018 and has since benefited a considerable number of families.
Youth Education Initiatives
In the area of youth education, annual grants are offered for post-compulsory studies. The goal is to ensure all students at this level can continue their education and are not forced to drop out due to family financial difficulties. This programme began in the 2013-2014 academic year, initiated by Càritas Interparroquial and the Fundació Ciutat de Valls, with both entities contributing financially.
The Valls City Council, through its education and youth services, provides technical and management support for the grant application process. More than 650 students have benefited from these educational grants to date.
Partnership and Impact
The Mayor of Valls, Dolors Farré, attended the signing of the agreement regulating the collaboration between the two entities, accompanied by Jordi París, Vice-President of the Fundació Ciutat de Valls. CaixaBank's extensive network of offices, the largest in Spain, helps identify urgent local needs and channel Fundació "la Caixa" aid to address them.
In 2024, Fundació "la Caixa" supported almost 5,625 projects from nearly 5,300 social entities. The Fundació Ciutat de Valls, a private, non-profit organisation, was established in 1949. It aims to serve the city of Valls and the Alt Camp region, promoting social and cultural cohesion. The current agreement continues this long-standing commitment to community welfare.
