CORNWALL – The guest speaker for the United Way of SD&G kickoff breakfast says the agency she was a lead in creating will be moving into a new home next year.
“Beyond 21 will be moving from our rented church hall basement into our own building in the summer of 2019. We are currently working with the dream team from Grant Marion Construction,” board president Tish Humphries told a packed Royal Canadian Legion hall this morning (Friday).
The agency is applying for grants for the building renovations.
“We will ‘have a place to hang our flag’ – the kinds words of one of our funders,” Humphries said.
Beyond 21 is a day program for young adults with disabilities after they have finished high school. Humphries set out to find a program for her daughter, Emma, after Emma left high school.
Beyond 21 has a number of other “dreams” which include creating a model for other communities to follow. “There’s such a serious need out there,” Humphries said. She would also like to see a respite care home for people working with Beyond 21.
Like last year, the United Way campaign won’t have a dollar goal. United Way President Andrew Donihee said the need is great and the campaign won’t stop at “an arbitrary number.”
The United Way also introduced a new way of donating through recurring auto-debit called “Retiree Heroes.” It’s meant to capture donations from people who used to have payroll deduction in the past but have retired. MP Guy Lauzon and Peggy Haramis are the spokespeople for the new feature.
Royal Bank of Canada also helped kick off the campaign with a $12,500 donation.