A decision to postpone a grant-in-aid request at Powell River Regional District's (PRRD) committee of the whole meeting will bring Community Resource Centre (CRC) perilously close to the end of its current funding.
CRC is a community outreach drop-in centre on Joyce Avenue that delivers a number of services to help support residents with multiple social barriers, but the centre's three-year funding is coming to an end. Organizers are searching for cash to keep the centre doors open.
"We have been incredibly successful," said Martyn Woolley, centre manager. "There's a huge need in the community, but no way to actually fundraise for the overhead."
Powell River Employment Program (PREP) Society, the umbrella organization that operates the CRC, made a presentation to the PRRD's rural services committee requesting a grant-in-aid of $25,000 last November. That decision was pushed to the regional district's committee of the whole in January and has been further postponed until mid-February.
"We have deferred that decision for the moment because there are a number of initiatives underway to try to maintain that funding or find new sources," said PRRD city director Russell Brewer at the Thursday, January 21, meeting. The city director did point out that City of Powell River provided the non-profit with a $6,000 permissive property tax exemption last year.
"We're up against it again. It's hard to ask people to pay for their own care when it's 100 per cent community outreach."
Martyn Woolley -Community Resource Centre manager
The centre has an annual operating budget of $178,000 and is open four days a week. It provides basic services for those who are at risk of homelessness or face other barriers to social inclusion. Some of the centre's programs include a drop-in cafZ, mental health support, community services information and referral services, as well as laundry facilities, food and yoga workshops.
While larger cities such as Vancouver and Victoria can secure funding for crisis centres, homeless shelters, day programs, follow-up treatment centres and support organizations, smaller centres like Powell River often fall through the cracks, though there is a great need for those kind of services for at-risk populations, according to centre staff.
According to data collected by staff, more than 14,000 visits were made to the centre between April 2014 and March 2015.
The centre opened its doors as a pilot project in 2007 with funding from BC Ministry of Social Development. It is not the first time the centre has been in this position.
Three years ago when the initial grant was running low, organizers were able to bring then-Minister of Social Development Stephanie Cadieux to Powell River to tour the centre and make a case for the project's continuation. More funding was ultimately found, but that approach is not thought to be a practical solution to the funding dilemma. PREP Society is now pursuing funding through more diverse, stable funding partnerships.
"We're up against it again," said Woolley. "It's hard to ask people to pay for their own care when it's 100 per cent community outreach."
According to a World Health Organization report on the social determinants of health, social engagement plays a positive role on health, eases demand on emergency services and reduces criminal activity.
"It's a really excellent program that saves a lot of other services from being utilized because people get so much help there," said councillor Maggie Hathaway.
PREP Society is also looking at the Ministry of Health and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) for potential assistance. The centre has wide community support from various faith organizations, non-profit social services providers, Powell River RCMP and mayor Dave Formosa.
"The CRC improves the health of our community by providing programs and services that address the broader social determinants of health such as food security, social inclusion and health services," stated Margaret Antolovich, VCH manager of public health and prevention services for Powell River, in the centre's grant-in-aid application.
PRRD's grant-in-aid program, which is regional in scope, is funded based on assessment and is shared equally between city and regional district residents.
