The City of Humboldt is getting some additional support. PARTNERS Family Services has announced a new program on Jan. 4 called The Bridging Resources Fund.
The new program is designed to provide immediate assistant for individuals and families that are facing either an emergency or crisis situation who cannot have their needs met by programs that already exist in the community.
The program reaches people in Humboldt and the surrounding area (within a 100km radius).
Through speaking with staff and with clients it was determined that there are gaps between some of the programs that exist throughout the area.
“We wanted to bridge that gap and make sure that our families that are here are getting the help that they need,” said Executive Director at PARTNERS Family Services Hayley Kennedy.
The intention of the fund is to fill those gaps so that clients can receive funding locally and are not told they have to drive to Saskatoon to receive the funding, Kennedy said.
Keeping those gaps filled and keeping people from having to go to Saskatoon played a role in starting the fund.
“If somebody is in an emergency or crisis situation the last thing that you want to have to tell them is that that support doesn’t exist here but you can access it in Saskatoon,” she said.
The funding from the program is currently coming from proceeds raised during last year’s Community Rising Gala and will continue to come from future fundraising campaigns.
This allows PARTNERS to make sure that the money donated by the community is, “flowing directly back to our clientele.”
Using the money raised by the community in the community is really important to Kennedy and PARTNERS.
“When the community is supporting our organization they’re confident that the dollars that they’re providing to us are in turn put directly back into the community and as an available resource for the vulnerable people that live in Humboldt and area,” she said.
In the last month PARTNERS had been able to provide individuals and families with over $500 worth of funding.
PARTNERS is always looking for additional support from the community, whether that be monetary or physical items.
Some of the items Kennedy mentioned include diapers, baby formulas and even cribs. In addition, due to the cold weather PARTNERS is also accepting winter gear right now.
Anyone that needs the support can either contact PARTNERS directly by phone at 306-682-4135 or by stopping by their location.
In addition, if applicants are already working with another agency in the area they can ask the agency to contact PARTNERS on their behalf and PARTNERS will work with that agency to provide any additional support they can.
Interested applicants are required to speak with one of the on-staff workers at PARTNERS to determine their need and how PARTNERS can help.
Kennedy says that the relationships built between clients and PARTNERS is done entirely on a trust basis meaning that you are not required to provide an income statement or a letter to the landlord.
“If it is something that we can help with then that’s absolutely something we will do,” she said.
Kennedy says that a response for funding is guaranteed to come within the same business day.
“That’s incredibly important to me as the Executive Director here as all of those requests do come through me ultimately for approval,” she said.
PARTNERS located at 905 5th Avenue and is open Monday to Thursday 9-4 and Friday 9-3.
