Author: Alice Saddy Foundation

This request came from outside the Alice Saddy group of supported people. Brenda, who has been living independently for many years now and has had some struggles with her mental health. She ended up in the hospital a few years ago. Since then, she has had difficulties accepting that she needs to take medications to assist her with her psychosis and depression. On medications her psychosis has been improving and so has her moods, but the problem is she keeps forgetting to take them. She is aware that there is a correlation between taking her meds and her overall well being.

She wants to remain independent and not rely on others to remind her to take her medications. She has tried setting alarms in her cell phone to remind her to take them but she becomes distracted and then forgets.

She is interested in an automated medication reminder/dispensing machine that she could get the pharmacy to fill every two weeks. This machine flashes lights and keeps beeping until the medications are removed. It will also keep forgotten medications securely contained so she will not “doubled up” on them. Brenda lives in a market rent apartment, and is on ODSP. Between her high rent and the cost of groceries, she simply can not afford the machine.

Brenda wants to remain well and has been working hard to engage in community activities and services. When taking meds, she meets her goals and is able to stay focused on being healthy.

The request was for $133.18 for the machine and 1 extra tray (to enable pharmacy to refill and deliver with no “gaps” in service).

We happily approved this request and wish Brenda a continued recovery.

Our next request came from Miranda, a Manager with the Alice Saddy Association. She provides support to Andre, who is 48 years old. He has a developmental disability and an acquired brain injury. He is wheelchair bound, but copes as best as he can. Due to severe mental health issues he was hospitalised in 2021 for 18 months. Discharged in October 2022 with very little proactive planning or support, he came to Alice Saddy for assistance to manage his Passport funding which provides him with 9 hours a week of direct support. His request was for $350 to help him set up his new apartment post discharge. The apartment is currently not equipped or accessible and he is extremely financially challenged to make ends meet on his ODSP. He has asked for $150 for essential kitchen items like dishes and cutlery and $200 for a smart door lock keypad to secure his apartment.

We approved his request and applaud the resilience he has shown.

In May 2023 we received a request from an APSW who works for Family Services Thames Valley. It is kind of a good news story because her client, Herbert, who has a developmental
disability, was accepted into London Housing. The problem was, however, that he was moving from out of town into London and his only possessions were his bike and a TV. He has come to us
requesting funds to cover a bed, a chair and a land line phone so that he can buzz in his workers.

The APSW had priced out the specific items and the ask was for $572. We were happy to grant this request.

This request came from Lilly, an Alice Saddy manager.

Our supported person, Wendy, suffered a severe fall, which resulted in a concussion and muscle/tissue damage to her shoulders, neck and upper back. Her pain was intense. The muscles in her neck seized and her support staff thought she was having a seizure. Wendy was scared and unable to verbally articulate what was happening. At the beginning of March, she was rushed to the hospital 3x via ambulance, where various tests were ordered which resulted in her being prescribed anti-seizure medication. Lilly was so concerned that she took Wendy home with her and by watching her for 24 hours and talking her through the pain she was able to discern that Wendy wasn’t having seizures but was having extreme tension in her neck similar to a very bad “ Charlie Horse ”. By coaching her to breathe/relax and gently massaging the area, the pain eventually subsided to a manageable level.

If not for Lilly’s diligence Wendy would have been on unnecessary drugs AND in extreme pain. We are so proud of the many amazing people who work at Alice Saddy.

The request was for $540.00, for 6 massages for Wendy. The massage therapist is in the community and around the corner from where Wendy lives. We believe massage will help Wendy to continue to heal and manage her pain, thereby allowing her to participate in community activities and enjoy life. We were happy to approve this request.

Our next request also came from London Cares.

It is for 2 people in a family of 3. The third person is a veteran so has resources available through the Legion. All three family members have developmental delays. The three of them had been living in a one bedroom apartment and have secured a two bedroom. They have accessed funds through the London Cares Whatever It Takes fund, Ontario Works and the Housing Stability Bank. The Housing Stability Bank has provided the money for the first month rent, but they can not provide anything further as they are not actually recipients of the program. They have exhausted all other avenues for funding. The request is for last month’s rent ($1200) and a $300 key deposit.

We were happy to grant this request to give all three the dignity of having a little more space to live in.

Our first request of 2023 came from London Cares Homeless Response Services. Christa is a double amputee after losing both of her feet to an infection. She required transitional housing to meet post operative treatment requirements. A developmental disability, mental health issues and an extensive history of trauma impacts her day to day functioning. It has been challenging for her to be successful in housing and as a result was not able to properly care for the infection and fully understand the importance of remaining in hospital.

She has been temporarily living in a motel, as part of a transition plan; however, it is well above the price range for London Cares and they turned to Alice Saddy for help. Currently, London Cares is looking into more affordable housing options for her and they hope to secure something in 2 months. Christa contributes her $522.00 ODSP shelter portion and London Cares covers the remaining significant amount. The requested $1000 is for $500 for each month to help with the cost of the motel.

We were happy to provide it and hope for a better future for Christa.

Alan has decreased cognitive functioning making it difficult for him to complete essential tasks. Finances are especially difficult for him to navigate. As a result of unintentional neglect, Alan’s disability housing benefits have been interrupted. He now owes $3,211.34 in rent arrears and his landlord has contacted the Landlord and Tenant Board to file for an eviction. London Cares can cover $2,552.30 of that but there is a shortfall of $659.30. We checked with the landlord and if full payment of these arrears is made, Alan’s eviction process will be withdrawn. So, for less than $700 we have helped to keep a roof over Alan’s head.

Peter has developmental disabilities. He recently experienced a devastating fire in his apartment that left him hospitalised with burns. He is now well enough to be discharged from the hospital but because of ongoing repairs to his unit he can not return home until Jan 3. To keep from being homeless, he needs to be temporarily housed in a motel. A discounted rent has been negotiated with the motel manager but the $1,150 would put a severe strain on his housing budget. Peter has asked us if we could cover any amount of this expense to get him through to Jan 3. We were happy to come to his rescue with the full amount of his motel stay.

Ralph struggles with severe ADHD and as a result missed several appointments with pest control to rid his living space of vermin. Ralph was charged $25.85 for each of the four missed appointments for a total amount of $113.00. The pest control people would not book another treatment until these arrears were satisfied. London Cares only supports rent and hydro arrears, and Ralph could not afford the arrears. We were happy to help Ralph out of this jam, and with our inclusion grant he was able to get his infestation remedied. Now Ralph can, once again, enjoy his home without the anxiety and discomfort of sharing it with vermin. 

Our next request came Nov 20, 2022. This is a family that displays true love for each other. It involves three siblings. Henry (42), requires 24 hour care. He has individualised funding which the Alice Saddy Association assists in managing. His Mom, Val, manages the care (mostly hiring self-employed contractors) and she also self-administers the Passport funding.

Henry has a sister, Lily, who requires some support. The three of them were living in Brampton. Val is now in her 80’s. Another sister, Julie, and her husband Doug run a business in Ohio.The family have been very self-sufficient but the time has come where Val can no longer manage Henry and Lily. It was decided to purchase two, side by side, purpose-built, accessible homes, so that Julie and Doug can assume the primary caregiving role for Henry and Lily. They chose Talbotville because of its proximity to Ohio, and this was the closest community that met all their needs.

The family has incurred many expenses with these two moves, and requested our help.They said they would appreciate any assistance we can offer and submitted several invoices. We approved $1,000 to offset the cost of the U Haul, to purchase and install grab rails for the bathroom and for one night in a motel for their worker, who came from Brampton to assist with training of their newly hired workers in Talbotville. It was heartwarming to see a family, caring for each other, watching over each other, loving each other. Pulling together when the going gets tough. Another example of the lives we can affect through the Alice Saddy Foundation.

This request was the first one to give us pause; $320.58 was needed to pay off a lawyer’s bill. We really struggled with this request because we did not want to set a precedent by paying an outstanding debt.

Our client Harold is developmentally disabled. He worked full time and had been married. His marriage had ended and he was anxious to put it behind him. He was not eligible for legal aid because he had been working. He hired a lawyer who’s final bill was a very reasonable $1,070.58. There was no way Harold could afford that. Harold’s dad was able to come up with $750 but the balance was owing and causing great stress to Harold. Harold has applied for ODSP and was eligible. That would have insured that he would qualify for legal aid but he would have to start the whole process over. We viewed this as a gap in the legal system. The situation was causing extreme stress and anxiety to Harold during an already difficult time. He needed to move on with his life. 

We decided this was a quality of life request and we approved the grant.

This grant request was unusual for us as it is not directed towards an individual but towards another agency, ( https://www.oifn.ca ), who support people with developmental disabilities to direct their own lives, and live as valued community members and citizens. Something that we at Alice Saddy are happy to support.

The $500 grant is to facilitate a virtual gathering focusing on Conscious Listening and Speaking. It facilitates a way to listen with our entire being to what matters the most to the people we serve and our family members who live with a disability. The aim is to meaningfully come to know those we serve so that we can support them. It’s a two day course and offers participants an expanded imagination of what it takes to be truly present in a conversation and hold space. To explore new ways to approach conversations and practice what it takes to transform our relationships with others.

While this event is free of cost to participants, there are significant resources dedicated to running these events, including many hours of both paid and volunteer time, as well as other operational costs.

Emma is a 40 year old woman who has lived through many traumas in her life, but is an amazingly resilient, strong advocate for herself.  She is a woman with Cerebral Palsy and Quadriplegia who tries to maintain as much independence as possible (both physically and mentally).

Emma moved into a  Cheshire Support Building in December 2021 after waiting for approx. 15 years on their waitlist.  Up until that time, she had been living in a RGI senior’s apartment building because it was accessible (since her 20s).  

Her move was very much needed for many reasons.

She had been sexually assaulted in her last apartment by an ex-partner so she was triggered by trauma. 

She had no connection to seniors in her building and there are many people she knows in the new building. 

The supports through Cheshire are more comprehensive and flexible than through the LHIN funded PSW services

Both community and agency resources were used for the move as well as student support but in the end Emma came up short. 

Emma’s request from us was for $278.00 and was to include four things:

– bed bug proof mattress cover

– bath mat

– bed side table

– bucket and mop that she is able to wring independently (as this apartment is all hard flooring)

Granting this request was very gratifying for us . We were all very happy that the Foundation could make a positive difference in Emma’s life.

The next request was not person specific, but program centered.  Melinda requested help to buy a “bed bug treatment tent”. While APSE can wash clothing, bedding, linens, etc. and Landlords will pay and provide spraying of apartments and furniture, they will not de-bug  items such as TVs, electronics, air conditioners, microwaves/appliances and framed photographs that often house these bugs.

APSW cannot treat non-washable items that mean so much for our clients (electronics, books, pictures, small furniture, shoes/boots, etc) and they can’t move people into locations, and cause bed bug infestations. People can not afford to just throw these things out and replace them on their very limited budgets. Plus the emotional attachment that these items bring really helps them survive day to day.  Landlords are also now using improper preparation as an “evictable” reason as it infringes on the enjoyment of other tenants in the building. 

The committee decided to buy the bed bug eliminating device for approximately $655 on the condition that if the association wants to borrow it at any time, it will be available to us.

This request was to help Cheryl move into Bruce Manor where she has been on the waiting list for decades. She very much wanted to move due to safety issues and threats that she has been experiencing in her current living situation (people are stealing things from her, they have made physical and verbal threats and people residing there have also deliberately intimidated support professionals visiting the location). Cheryl had been experiencing a large bed bug infestation and had to go on oral and topical antibiotic cream due to infections from these bites. The Landlord had sprayed, but not enough to be effective. He won’t provide bed bug mattress covers, etc. Public Guardian and Trustee,  says she can only afford to move there if she can find an extra $203.00/month. 

After careful consideration of this unfortunate situation the committee ascertained that the  fund could not support a commitment of approximately. $2,400/year for an indeterminate length of time. But we could not be a dead end for this woman. We decided to commit to fund the additional rent for a minimum of three months and a maximum of 6 months. During that time the Association will try to find an alternative funding source for this person in need. Cheryl is finally at the home she has wanted for years.

Our second grant request came on behalf of a young man who is transitioning from the Children’s Aid Society to Adult services. 18 year old Bernardo has a developmental disability and lives with his Aunt and Uncle in London. He attends a local high school and is enrolled in the developmental education program. His Aunt and Uncle are his primary caregivers and they speak primarily Spanish (They came to Canada 10 years ago from Columbia), with very little English. Bernardo is non-verbal and relies on his Aunt and Uncle to speak on his behalf. 

Bernardo has complex support needs and therefore Regional Support Associates, is involved to help with the difficult transition to adult services. Amanda Mulder is assisting with navigation and facilitating various meetings, goal setting, making referrals etc…All of this work requires an Interpreter and this service costs $50/hour. The Cross Cultural Learner Centre will not cover this cost and knows of no other resource that will. The Woodstock General Hospital (where Regional Support Associates is housed) covers this cost in some instances, one-time emergencies, but not this type of on-going situation. The request is for $400 – 8 hours of Interpreter services over a 4-6 week period x $50/hour. We were one of several organizations that were asked to contribute to this cost. We were happy to help out with this and wish the boy well as he enters adulthood.

Two brothers, ‘Mike’, (36) & ‘John’,(35),  have lived with a host family since they were very young children. Their foster parents became Share Your Home providers through the Alice Saddy Association, in November 2008, as part of the transition from the children’s world to adult life. They have quite complex support needs (physical, developmental, medical, deteriorating etc…) and require support at all times. Prior to Covid, they both attended fee-for-service centre-based day programs, Monday to Friday, which are no longer available or appropriate. They are making the transition to community-based day supports.

The plan for Mike & John includes renting a home that they can utilise during the week to learn life skills, for personal care purposes and for breaks from community activities (they both need downtime, as they feel very anxious with too much stimulation). The short term goal is for this home to be used for overnight respite and a long term goal is for Mike & John to move there permanently when the Share Your Home providers retire (3-5 years). The request was for $400 to contribute to the cost of furnishing this home. It’s small requests that makes a big difference and we feel fortunate to be able to make that happen.

In March of 2021, we were approached by a support worker on behalf of her clients – an elderly couple dealing with limited income and serious health issues. Garry had developed a sever heart condition, while his partner Gina was dealing with complications from diabetes.

Due to literacy, technology and income barriers, management of medications had become challenging, and continued to threaten the health of this couple.

Along with our community partners, we were able to purchase automatic medication administration machines. These devices have dramatically improved Garry and Gina’s health and have allowed them to better maintain their deteriorating health.

The total cost for this project? Less than $250.