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Steering People Towards an Abundant Life
Jeevan and Laura are enjoying some treats and meaningful conversation at a local coffee shop. Thankfully, the coffee shop was within walking distance because the van they wanted to use to get to another locale wasn’t working – something that happens more often than not.
“I would feel more comfortable if we had less problems with the van’s lift,” Jeevan says. “It would make a big change.”
For several years, Jeevan has received support from Communitas Supportive Care Society. She arrives at the offices in Abbotsford by handyDART, meets up with her Community Inclusion (CI) worker for that day, and together they decide what the day will look like. Jeevan loves to visit the local parks, often choosing to have a picnic there. Sometimes they’ll meet friends for lunch at a local restaurant, do some puzzles, or some kind of craft. Being together with friends in community is an important part of Jeevan’s life and having reliable, accessible transportation makes a difference both for her and also for Laura, who is one of Jeevan’s CI workers.
“Unfortunately, the van we have now is not always reliable. Sometimes the van has issues with the battery or with the lift,” Laura explains. “Sometimes, appointments or activities have had to be rescheduled because we couldn’t rely on the van.”
Wendy Toohey manages CI services for Communitas in Abbotsford. She has seen Jeevan thrive as she engages with her community. But Wendy has also had to turn people away because the van that Communitas uses is not dependable.
“It is hard to turn someone away simply because we do not have a necessary, reliable vehicle to help them get around,” Wendy says.
That’s why Communitas has launched Drive to Thrive, a fundraising campaign aimed at raising enough funds to purchase two accessible vehicles. Matt Dirks is the Chief Innovation Officer for Communitas. He says that having new vehicles is essential.
“For many people, a lack of accessible transportation means missing out on the simple joys of life, like meeting friends for coffee,” Matt says. “For others, it’s the difference between getting to a critical medical appointment or accessing urgent community resources.”
Laura agrees. Having a reliable vehicle that allows her to get the people she serves to places on time, with a lift that doesn’t break down, would be a relief. But Laura also knows that it makes an impact on Jeevan’s life.
“I love to see Jeevan thriving – she really does have an abundant life,” Laura says. “For all of us CI workers, we want to be able to focus on the person we’re serving and not have to worry that our equipment isn’t going to work.”
Jeevan has had the experience of being stuck in a van when the lift hasn’t been working.
“I had to get taken out of the van. That didn’t feel very good,” Jeevan says. “If we had a new van I would feel safer and it would allow me to do more things in my community.”
Matt is encouraged that people in the community have already stepped up to support this campaign.
“We are so grateful that we have a generous donor who has agreed to match all gifts to Drive to Thrive up to $25,000,” Matt says. “This doubles the impact of each donation we receive and will make such a difference to Jeevan and to other people we serve.”
It will also allow Communitas to respond differently when someone who needs accessible transportation applies for services with the organization.
“At the end of the day, we want people who live with diverse abilities to connect, engage, and thrive,” Matt says. “Having the right resources will make all the difference.”
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