Page 8 - CLH Foundation - Annual Report - 2020-2021
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Bridging The Gap
With Homecooked Meals
A $6,000 donation from Huronia Community Foundation through Community in SIL, and from our commitment to
Foundations of Canada and the Federal Emergency Community Support maintaining social engagement and
Fund is making a positive impact every week with a project called “Bridging support even when all the usual means
the Gap.” With this support, members of CLH’s Supported Independent are not possible. Our hope was that a
Living (SIL) program can look forward to a delicious and hearty Friday night sense of comfort could be delivered via a
supper, prepared and delivered by the SIL direct support team. home-cooked meal, and five months in we can
see that it’s working, providing stability as well as a
SIL individuals are able to live on their own, with support from CLH. Needs wonderful meal with a “side” of comfort and care!
vary among the 33 individuals in the program. Some find living independently
enjoyable and just need help with specific tasks; others require frequent This has been a big undertaking for Supervisor Janet Schmidt
‘check-ins’ to help with daily living. Every one of them struggle to make the and the SIL direct support staff but they have seen the positive
monthly stipend they receive through ODSP stretch far enough to cover rent, impact of the program, which will continue well into the new year. Melissa
food, and simple needs. It’s a challenge to get through on the income they Wright says she and her fellow SIL team members, Roseanne Quesnelle,
have, and many don’t. Jody Woods, Amanda Shala, Glenda Mitchell and Trisha Walker, really pull
together to assist each other with cooking, packaging, delivery, phone calls
The changes in daily life created by COVID-19 have been significant for and all the other details involved in making the program work each week.
SIL individuals. The most painful has been the loss of access to their social
networks; they have always received support and seen their friends in Karl Martell shared with us that he looks forward to the meal from SIL staff
person. CLH direct support professionals have been a lifeline in navigating and is thankful to them and to the Foundation for funding it.
these challenges.
We are thankful to Huronia Community Foundation, Community Foundations
“Bridging the Gap” came from conversations with supported individuals of Canada and the Government of Canada’s support of this initiative.
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