Officials say Community Living Espanola is facing serious financial pressures and challenges.
Executive Director Louise Laplante says the sector has not received a significant base funding increase from the province in 30 years and now, with soaring inflation, they are finding it hard to pay for necessities like food, heat, hydro, repairs, transportation, and other essentials.
She adds every year they are faced with the decision of where they will need to reduce costs to their operational budget to avoid of a fiscal deficit.
Chair of the board, Kathryn Lewis, concurs adding an increase based on funding is long overdue so they are calling on the Ford government for an immediate 5% increase in base funding.
Both Laplante and the board are also asking the public to sign the #5ToSurvive petition to make sure their call for action is heard by the local MPP, Mike Mantha, and the province.
CLA operates a Group Living program consisting of two group homes, a Supported Independent Living program, a Community Participation Supports program, Host Family and Respite program as well as a Passport Services program.
They currently have 30 direct care staff and provide support for 42 individuals in all programs.
To learn more, visit www.communitylivingontario.ca , click on “Learn More”, follow the prompts and insert your information into the email campaign form.