As we approach the winter season, and with Christmas creeping closer and closer, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on all of the wonderful relationships we’ve cultivated thus far, and the awesome impact some of our clients are having around Kitchener-Waterloo. Pund-IT is proud to bring to light this month’s Client Feature: Community Support Connections! To see the wonderful work the good people at CSC have been doing has been both inspiring and heartwarming.
We had a chance to sit down with Jerry Lawlor (Director of Revenue Development) at CSC to ask him a few questions:
Pund-IT: Could you summarize what the fine people at CSC do?
CSC: We serve a diverse client group that includes caregivers, older adults, people with diverse abilities, and anyone in between. We primarily service within Waterloo Region. Our largest program is our Meals on Wheels Program which ensures that people are eating healthy meals, but that’s not all. We have exercise programs for seniors. As people age, it’s vital that we stay in shape so our muscles and bones are healthy along with a healthy heart.
We also have a transportation program. Do you know of any senior that has a difficult time getting to their doctor’s appointment on time? We provide that service. How often do you see people struggling to shovel their sidewalks in the winter? We have a program that provides assistance and takes care of those items.
We’re a healthcare organization that fills in the cracks for people beyond the hospital, their personal doctor or their specialist. We provide services that you rarely think about when dealing with the health and well-being of our ageing population.
Pund-IT: How many people do you support each year?
CSC: We offer support in four main categories – Nutrition, Physical Health, Social Wellbeing, and Help at Home. Here’s a good estimate for you:
Nutrition
· Close to 90,000 meals delivered annually
· Over 2,300 grocery shopping trips provided for people in Waterloo Region unable to do this on their own
Physical Health
· Collectively our exercise and fall prevention clients participated in our SMART classes 31,000 times
Social Wellbeing
· Caregiver support – Close to 1,200 calls and visits each year
· Friendly Calls and Visits – Over 5,600 times
· Transportation – Close to 10,000 rides to doctor’s offices and other vital appointments
Help at Home
· Home making and Home maintenance – over 17,400 visits
· Snow Removal and yard work – Close to 6,000 visits
Pund-IT: And you’re able to do all of this because of your volunteers?
CSC: In order to help that amount of people, we rely on between 450-500 volunteers over the course of the year. Volunteers mean a great deal to us at Community Support Connections. They are vital to the operations of our organization. With their help, we’re able to provide people with stability, security, and help positively affect their lives overall. We often hear that it’s a weight off of their shoulders not to have to worry, and that their families are thankful too.
Pund-IT: That’s fantastic; how can people get involved?
CSC: The first step is to fill out an online application form. Someone from our Volunteer Team will reach out within two business days to set up a time to meet and find the perfect fit for you! We will look at your interests, background, and availability to find a position that speaks to you. There are different training and screening requirements based on the position you choose. We will give you all the
coaching you need to become a successful volunteer.
You can lend us a helping hand in the following ways:
• Volunteer to deliver a hot, nutritious meal through our Meals on Wheels program that runs Monday
to Friday over the lunch hour
• Volunteer to drive a client to their medical appointments, to the bank, or to get their groceries
• Volunteer to be a friend or companion to a client who is mostly homebound by playing a game of
checkers or sitting outside together
• Volunteer by chopping vegetables or packaging homemade desserts in our Meals on Wheels kitchen
• Volunteer in our on-site garden or kitchen, or clean meal bags
Whether you have a wide-open schedule or only a lunch hour to commit, we have an opportunity for you! Our volunteers help support our diverse client base to live at home with independence and dignity. There are even ways to volunteer with your family, friends or coworkers. We have options for corporate volunteering, student community service, and more. If you want to help us in providing people with a helping hand, you can reach out to us on our Get Involved page!
It’s refreshing to see such a breadth of opportunity for volunteering; you make it easy for
people to help out. What about donations?
CSC: People can donate to CSC right from the homepage of our website, or they can even give me a call at 519 209 3938 (Jerry’s Number) or send me an email at jerryl@cscmow.org! We have options to donate both securely online or via mail, with more info on our donate page.
Pund-IT: What services do you provide?
CSC: Community Support Connections provides life-changing services for our clients, and we allow many people to stay in the comfort of their homes. We help give them the independence and dignity we all want in life. The services we offer are customized to a diverse client group that includes caregivers, older adults, people with diverse abilities, and anyone in between. Here are a few of our services:
-Nutritious hot or frozen meals
-Free, gentle exercise and falls prevention programs
-Transportation services to critical medical appointments
-Connection through friendly volunteer visits
-Community dining experiences where people can make new friends
-Peace of mind to caregivers in your community
-Homemaking and home maintenance services
-Service accessibility to lower-income clients
Pund-IT: Sounds easy! The team here at Pund-IT would like to sincerely thank you for everything CSC does around the community; any final remarks?
CSC: At Community Support Connections, our focus is on making life easier for the community. Our services provide essential care for our neighbours, easing the strain on long-term care facilities and hospitals. With your support, we can continue to be a lifeline for our community.
Pund-IT: Thanks again for your time Jerry!
CSC: My pleasure.
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CSC helps make a difference in nutrition, social well-being, help at home, and independence like
no one else. If you’d like to get involved, please go to https://communitysupportconnections.org/get-involved/
and check out some more info about our friends at CSC and the wonderful work that they do!
Want to read another blog post? Check out our previous blog on Sentinel One!
