Nanaimo Citizen Advocacy Association president Pam Pady says her group is thrilled that the city will provide funding.
“We can breathe now,” said Pady, whose organization is now in a position to continue its general advocacy program. “We are really happy about it. I’m glad that they see that we’re very valuable.”
The advocacy association, which has provided free general and legal advocacy to residents for 43 years, appealed to council earlier this month for $10,000.
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It has been experiencing a cash crisis, with those in the organization pointing to a higher demand for service and a transition period after the retirement of a longtime executive director and bookkeeper. Opportunities to secure full funding were missed and the organization was overstaffed. A fundraising campaign started last year to raise $20,000.
The association sought funding from the city and hoped to access more from community organizations, donations and fundraising that would carry it to the next fiscal year in April. Without the funding, its general advocacy program was at risk of closing.
A Go Fund Me page shows more than $19,000 of a $20,000 goal has been reached. Council was unanimous about providing the organization money during its special council meeting last week.
According to Pady, the organization will continue to do more fundraising to increase general advocacy hours because demand is higher, “but this is getting us through this little crisis right now.”
“We really appreciate the people who have really supported us and because generally, right from the beginning, people have said that we are a valuable organization and some of the things we do, we are the only organization that does them,” she said.
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