The Town of the Blue Mountains’ (TBM) well-known charitable organization, Beaver Valley Outreach (BVO) reports that COVID-19 isn’t having the impact they were expecting quite yet.
“I thought that by now we would be really busy with a lot of new people and a lot of requests, but it has not been as busy as I thought it would be,” says Carolyn Letourneau, executive director of BVO. “Throughout the year we see a lot of calls. This is one of the quietest times I have seen for this kind of support, which is really contrary to what we typically see.”
Letourneau suggests one factor impacting the local needs of residents is the fact that COVID-19 is having such a wide-spread impact and because everyone is feeling the crunch, people are helping one another.
“I think it is in part because the community is doing what it should be. Neighbours are helping neighbours, people are helping people, family members are helping each other. That is what we see happening because everyone is responding to this crisis at the same time,” she says. “It took me a few weeks to process it all. It is just a unique circumstance.”
She adds that the lack of affordable housing in TBM could also be contributing to the organization's low call-in rates.
“Our community is so different. My take right now is that our housing is so unaffordable and out of reach for so many people that not a lot of people who work in the service industry can afford to live here,” she says. “And, that is the sector of the population that is really getting hit by this right now.”
She adds that TBM does have two buildings in town here that are subsidized by the county but, "the majority of the residents are seniors and those folks haven’t seen a change to their income. They struggle everyday so things haven’t changed for them,” she said.
BVO anticipates a greater volume of calls for assistance will come in June when close-connection resources may run out.
“Come June, I think we will see some of those community resources run out. But, I am also hopeful that by then all of the government support will have come through and people are able to manage,” Letourneau says, adding the federal governments’ ability to roll out relief funds quickly has also contributed to the lightened load.
“I think the saving grace is that the government has been responsive and people are not having to wait too long,” she says. “But, we are here for the long haul. We are not going anywhere so, hopefully, that is a comfort to residents as well.”
In the days before COVID-19, BVO provided a variety of resources to the community, including before-and-after school programs, breakfast club, EarlyON program, daycare, and recreational funding. As per provincial requirements, BVO has closed all of its services, except the emergency services.
Letourneau says BVO’s staff have been working diligently to find ways to deliver their services in a new format, including launching a YouTube channel for the preschool, exploring how the thrift store could move online and finding ways to fund recreational activities amid a shutdown.
“Our preschool staff have started a YouTube channel, so they are reaching out to families and trying to send something to them once a day. If they are at home isolated with their children, days can be tough and we are trying to provide something that will give them a bit of a break throughout the day,” she explained. “We are also still doing some recreational funding, despite most of the recreational programs being shut down. Some people have found some virtual programs and I have been able to support a family or two to engage in something that is virtual, like an art class.”
The BVO thrift store was one of the first areas of the organization to close, which is having a financial impact on the charity.
“Half of our budget is the preschool and the other half comes from our thrift store and we have had to close those doors, so we have been sitting here without any revenue coming in.”
Letourneau says the TBM has been in contact with BVO, and that she had a call with Mayor Alar Soever earlier this week in regards to participating in the Community Response Initiative, which will hold its first meeting on Monday.
“We also have regular conversations with Grey County and we have discussed the funds that they recently received from the provincial government,” Letourneau says. “Right now, I am not seeing the demand, so I won’t ask for any money but [the county] has made it clear that I can make a request if things change. With the population demographics, I would imagine Owen Sound and Meaford likely have more requests and have a greater need for those additional funds.”
BVO staff continue to work behind the scenes throughout the closure, conducting maintenance and administrative duties and crafting new procedures and policies for the post-COVID world.
“The staff in our different programs are looking at what is happening in that industry, whether it is childcare or the thrift shop. We are looking at what others are doing and have been working to develop a strategic plan for when things start to go back to normal,” she said.
In the meantime, Letourneau says that, “if you, your neighbour or someone you know is in need, please contact BVO.”
