The United Way Central & Northern Vancouver Island (UWCNVI) is consulting with the community about how best to deliver the new Better at Home program to commence in the Comox Valley in October.
Better at Home is a program that offers simple services such as grocery shopping, friendly visits, light housework, yard work, home repair, snow removal and transportation to appointments.
The services are non-medical in nature, and are supplemental to those services provided by community health workers, such as personal hygiene assistance and help with medical needs or moving around.
The Province of B.C. has provided $20 million to United Way Lower Mainland to establish up to 68 Better at Home programs across the province as part of Improving Care for B.C. Seniors: An Action Plan.
United Way Central & Northern Vancouver Island (UWCNVI) has hired consultants Jacquie Kinney and Jody Macdonald to gather and synthesize input from local seniors, family members and community agencies in order to shape the Better at Home Program best for the Comox Valley’s needs. Kinney and MacDonald have extensive backgrounds in community development and working with vulnerable communities.
The community developers are looking to the community to provide input about what is needed for senior support. The community is asked to complete a short survey and/or e-mail and phone the community developers.
• Complete a short survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/QWY83ZJ.
• E-mail betterathomecv@gmail.com.
• Phone Jacquie Kinney at 250-650-4452 or JodyMacdonald at 250-218-5640. E-mail jodymacdonald@shaw.ca.
On May 27 a community meeting will take place at the Comox Recreation Centre. Community developers will present the results of the community consultation.
There will be an opportunity for additional input from seniors and other stakeholders to prioritize the preferred non-medical support services for the Better At Home program and finalize the lead organization criteria.
UWCNVI fundraising campaign Change Starts Here wrapped up in January and $207,540 has been raised or pledged for the Comox Valley.
The community support directly helps hundreds of people in our community through the work by United Way’s 11 community partners who support kids to be all they can be, empower people to move from poverty to possibility and help create healthy, strong communities.
There are many ways to give to UWCNVI. Call the office at 250-729-7400 or e-mail info@uwcnvi.ca or give online at www.uwcnvi.ca.
Since 1958, United Way CNVI has invested in programs and services that help people to improve their lives and that strengthen our communities.
Due to the generosity of donors and volunteers, UWCNVI is funding grants in 2012 to 44 charities supporting 50 programs for children, youth and seniors in Central Island, the Comox Valley and Campbell River. UWCNVI is also a partner in the Success by 6 early childhood development programs throughout the Central and Northern Island and is the Community Entity for Nanaimo’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy.
— United Way Central & Northern Vancouver Island