The Government of British Columbia announces new funding for Deafblind services across the province
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CNIB Deafblind Community Services is thrilled to share that in honour of National Deafblind Awareness Month, the Government of British Columbia has announced that they will be providing dedicated funding for intervenor services to support British Columbians who are Deafblind.
Sherry Grabowski, Vice President of CNIB Deafblind Community services poses with Dan Coulter, MLA for Chilliwack and Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility, Nicholas Simons, MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast and Theresa Tancock, Family Services Coordinator, British Columbia Chapter of the Canadian Deafblind Association.
The landmark decision makes British Columbia the third province outside of Ontario and Saskatchewan to provide funding for CNIB Deafblind Community Services (DBCS), representing a monumental step for Canada’s Deafblind community.
This funding for intervenor services will help address communication challenges and provide critical supports for individuals who are deafblind so they can stay connected in their communities.
It’s not uncommon for vision loss to occur as we age, but for some, its onset can be sudden and unexpected. That was the experience for one woman from Victoria, Madison Sutcliffe, who suddenly lost about 90% of her vision during pregnancy. Looking for support and community, she reached out to CNIB and joined the Come to Work program
To strengthen our voices and support the professional development of our Ontario advocates, ambassadors and CNIB staff, we’ve launched Educate to Advocate – an advocacy program designed to drive achievement and equality through education.
Right now, communities across British Columbia are facing a challenging and rapidly evolving wildfire situation. A provincewide state of emergency has been declared, and thousands of residents have been ordered to evacuate as wildfires continue to threaten communities across B.C. If you or someone you know is looking for information about local services and support, please contact CNIB at 1-800-563-2642. Our team can help connect you with relevant community resources and emergency information.
CNIB recently unveiled the brand-new Barrie Community Hub and Nanji Family Foundation CNIB SmartLife Centre, thanks to a generous donations made by the Nanji Family Foundation and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The new Hub, which is now open to members of the public, is an inclusive community space designed to empower people impacted by blindness to live the lives they choose.
