Dear Editor,
What is the reality of living with disabilities?
You gave gifts at Christmas. Will you or someone you know give three hours of your time a week to help PAWC help clients apply for disability benefits? Are these clients eligible? You’ll help us find out. And if they aren’t eligible, you’ll help us get them the assistance they need. Disability benefits will benefit them—their entire life. It’s a life changer.
The Penticton & Area Women’s Centre is gearing up in a major way to increase services to people with disabilities – men and women - in Penticton and outlying communities. It’s a one-year project training volunteers to help people access needed resources. Funding is through the Government of B.C. (Employment and Labour Market Division), and Community Foundation of the South Okanagan.
We’re calling it the “GetReal” project. You will literally be where the action is, where the impact is great.
There are a lot of people hurting out there. We’re doing our best to meet the demand for advocacy services. PAWC has limited staff. There’s a substantial waitlist. Clients often stretch down the hallway. Trained volunteers will really assist.
If you can commit to a minimum of three hours a week, give us a call. We’d love to hear from you. If you’re a “people person” with compassion and respect, fantastic! If you prefer to help out behind the scenes with the paperwork, that’s fantastic, too.
Training is January 25 with Stephen Portman, Legal Advocate with the Victoria organization Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS). Portman oversees a successful Volunteer Disability Advocacy Project. You need to sign up in advance. For more information about “getting real” with PAWC, contact 1-866-493-6822, or e-mail volcorpawc1@gmail.com.
Thank you, everyone.
Elmie Saaltink, board chair
Penticton & Area Women’s Centre