By David F. Rooney
Community Connections is, without a doubt, Â Revelstoke’s premiere social service agency. But how much do you know about it?
Did you know that some of its programs like the Food Bank, the Social Justice Advocate and the Summer Day Camp receive no core government funding?
Did you know that the agency provides Community Living Services for Adults, Family Services, an Autism Program, Infant Development Services, a Supported Child Development Program, a Housing Outreach Program, the Jumping Jacks Preschool and other programs? Well it does, and its 51 staff members provide these services so on a remarkably small budget — $2.6 million in 2012, down from $2.9 million in 2011.
These little factoids are important. They inform us that Community Connections plays a vital role in our community helping hundreds of people of all ages throughout the year.
This year the agency is holding an Open House on Tuesday, May 7, from 10 am – 2 pm. And they’ll even provide lunch, from 11 am until 1 pm! How’s that for a deal? You get to peek behind the curtain and meet the people who make make good things happen in Revelstoke.
It’s easy to take Community Connections for granted… but take a moment and think about where many of our most vulnerable community members would be without Community Connections. Would our disabled citizens be better off or worse off? To whom would the parents of really young children with development issues turn to? Some stranger in Kelowna or someone who lives and works in our own small city? When you need family counselling who do you turn to? And, finally, if you can’t provide enough food for your family or can’t afford to give your kids a memorable summer break what do you do? We are awfully lucky to have an agency such as Community Connections.
Come on down, see what they do have some lunch on them!
