A program for child safety that has been around for 40 years, and a United Way member agency for 17 years, will no longer be funded by the United Way as of March of next year.
According to Chatham-Kent Block Parent Program board chair Tanya Nooyen, her group was informed in the spring they would have to submit a “letter of intent” to the United Way to apply for funds for the 2019-2021 funding cycle. She said they were informed by new United Way of Chatham-Kent (UWOCK) CEO Steve Pratt that the funding format for agencies was moving in a new direction and the letter of intent they submitted did not meet the new criteria.
The United Way of Chatham-Kent, as part of its new investment framework, initiated an open call for proposals in May of 2018, and Block Parent didn’t get past the first step in the new proposal process.
“It is my understanding that we did not meet the criteria for funding, as United Way has aligned itself with high impact programs to meet the changing needs of our community affected by addictions, poverty, mental health and physical disabilities. Unfortunately, it has had to make cuts to prevention in order to have a greater impact in providing Chatham-Kent families with what they need presently in those areas of concern,” Nooyen said.
Base funding by UWOCK of approximately $30,000 had been granted to the program for operational purposes, enabling Block Parent to supplement funding to enhance three programs – outreach, education, as well as registrar and volunteer engagement by applying for local and provincial grants to provide the public with up-to-date education, resources and initiatives.
Since 1978, the Chatham-Kent Block Parent Program Inc. and the distinctive red and white sign have been a symbol of safety, providing a volunteer network of police-screened, safe homes for all ages to use in times of distress, but Nooyen said that may not be the case for much longer unless new funding can be secured.
Block Parent program manager Murry Haggerty said over the past few years, the agency has worked hard at evolving to meet the safety and prevention needs of the community, including an ever-expanding personal safety awareness and injury prevention education program, a newly developed Seniors on the Go program, and celebrating its signature event’s 10th anniversary glow necklace distribution “Light Us Be Safe” this Oct. 31.
“The Seniors on the Go program, that educates seniors who may be out and have a fall or get disoriented on personal safety, is going really great and we’d hate to have to push that aside,” Haggerty noted.
She said the program provides a safety whistle for seniors to blow if they are out and need assistance, which works hand in hand with, but doesn’t duplicate, the Vulnerable Persons Registry run by the local police service.
“The agency cannot sustain its growth and development on bingo funds alone. Without operational funding, supplementary grants are unattainable,” Nooyen said. “The bingo funds are only enough to pay for office space and our computer. It doesn’t cover operational costs like a part-time employee and our outreach program.”
The Chatham-Kent Block Parent Program is grateful for this and past years of United Way funding as it has allowed the program security and growth becoming “much more than just a sign in the window,” Nooyen said.
“For the past 17 years, the United Way has allowed us to do that. We are so grateful we have been able to grow and develop over the years,” Nooyen noted. “For the last 17 years, the United Way has been in our hearts and we’ve been in theirs. They have been very kind and thoughtful through this process.”
Although the number of Block Parent homes and businesses in Chatham-Kent has decreased to 82 homes and seven businesses, the funding has allowed an increase in outreach events to provide public prevention strategies to thousands of people at more than 24 events/fairs and festivals annually, visiting almost all communities across Chatham-Kent, including Blenheim Cherryfest, Wallaceburg’s WAMBO, Wheatley Idol, C-K Youth Festival and the IPM in Pain Court.
United Way funding has also supported, in part, an expansion to the Education Program with more than 1,500 students benefiting from curriculum-based, grade-specific safety awareness and injury prevention presentations annually. These include partnerships with CKPS’ Elmer The Safety Elephant Program, Chatham-Kent’s Racing Against Drugs, and the C-K Safety Village’s Home Alone Program, as well as Block Parent’s own age-appropriate classroom presentations.
“Much-needed funding also provides police screening, additional fingerprinting and information to current Block Parent homes and businesses – volunteers who make up the safety network of safe strangers,” Nooyen added. “Base funding is crucial to continue to cover day-to-day operations which includes part-time staff and office rental. Personal safety awareness and injury prevention is still needed now more than ever, as Chatham-Kent’s sex offenders list continues to grow, with well over 200 offenders registered. Just like fire safety, tornado drills, etc., children need to practice and be well-versed on personal safety and injury prevention.”
The hope now is the organization will be able to secure operational funding from another source so they can maintain their programs. They will need office space and a storage room if they can’t afford to remain in the United Way building on McNaughton Avenue West, which also means removing the United Way logo and address from all their existing office and promotional material.
“The Board of Directors and staff want to thank all past and current supporters of Chatham-Kent Block Parents. It is the hope that this long-standing program will remain intact and continue to provide prevention to all-generations for years to come,” Nooyen said.
