Life can often deal you a crappy hand. Loss of a job or a loved one can certainly be a setback. So too can living with a disability without supports or as a lonely senior.
Difficulties can arise without warning and as they say, that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
When life throws you a curveball, one of the best places to go to help you get back on your feet is Greenwood Neighbourhood Place (GNP).
The registered charity and resources centre responds to community needs for Sundre and area residents through leadership, referrals, programming and services.
On an ongoing basis, GNP’s Welcome Desk fields calls from people with financial hardship and questions about the food bank, transportation, housing, Employment Insurance and resume writing.
For the fiscal year ended March 2016, the Welcome Desk dealt with in excess of 4,000 call-ins and walk-ins combined.
GNP provides computer access, office space, information, faxing, photocopying and low income tax preparation.
Seniors receive help with Old Age Pension applications, CPP, special needs and many other issues related to independent living in the community.
Regularly scheduled programs run the gamut from summer kids' activities to helping people with snow removal and providing food and toy hampers at Christmas. Its continuing education courses help people get their high school equivalent diploma, learn self defence, firearm safety, or how to play the guitar.
Through the Healthy Families Home Visitation program, home visitors connect new parents with resources such as employment, further education, medical care and other ongoing community activities depending on each family’s needs.
In GNP’s 2016 annual report, home visitor Jacqueline Smith relayed a success story about a scared family in a trying situation.
“The family reached out to me and asked for advice. This mom felt fearful, alone and scared of authority intervention. Through gentle conversation between us, the mom was able to come up with her own solutions and make the calls necessary to move forward in a healthy way.
“I was so pleased that this mom came up with her own solutions, with little intervention from me. She made a decision, and that, although frightening, brought about a positive change for herself and her family’s future.”
Thanks to grants and donations, most services -- including home visitors -- are free, enabling access to all regardless of financial stature.
Notably, the society is this year’s beneficiary of the Sundre Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign from Sept. 17 -23.
Buy a cookie, or a box, and help determine how well the cookie crumbles for even more Sundre and area residents.
