Community Living London supports over 1,000 people of all ages with a developmental disability. Our programs include residential services, day programs, respite and a range of evening activities designed to empower people and ensure they remain active members in our community. Whether it is going on hikes in the forest, drives to the beach or simply running errands, our goal is to provide opportunities for people to live fulfilling, independent lives.
One thing we’ve learned is that transportation is a critical part in reducing isolation in the lives of people we support. Transportation enriches people’s lives especially those with mobility issues. It serves as a lifeline connecting people to opportunities in our community and fostering connections.
Imagine not having the freedom to go whenever and wherever you’d like to go because there is no way of getting there.
For many of the people we support with mobility issues, this is a reality. It’s not easy for them to hop into a car and drive to Springbank Park for a walk, go to the movies or even to the bank.
Community Living London has eight homes and two access day programs that utilize wheelchair accessible vans; however, there are only four wheelchair accessible vans throughout our organization.
Our Children’s Respite program is in urgent need as it does not have an accessible van for the staff to take the children out for activities. Staff members often have to borrow a van from another location. Activities like visiting the pumpkin patch, driving around to see the Christmas lights or simply going to the movies need to be scheduled in advance to confirm transportation is available. This time is important to children at respite because they can enjoy doing activities they love and otherwise wouldn’t be able to do with their parents at home.
Also, during the week it is a challenge for Respite services to ensure there is a van available to drive the children to and from school when there may not be access to school bussing.
People living in many of our homes face similar challenges. People with mobility issues in homes across our organization require an accessible van to travel around the community for medical appointments, go to the bank or visit their family. However, with very few vans, plans sometimes need to be delayed or appointments need to be cancelled and opportunities lost.
Laura, Becky and Brian are housemates who all rely on their wheelchairs to get around. When the opportunity arises for a road trip- they take it! They go to the beach and on boat cruises. But with limited access to transportation, these adventures are often out of reach.
In another home, George and Russel live together and both use a wheelchair. These two gentlemen are very active: Russel likes to go to the park and see anything that is related to Christmas. George enjoys going out for Greek food and loves going out of town to visit his sister. There is no accessible van at the home for the gentlemen to use and when they want to go out, they need to borrow a wheelchair accessible van from another location. A van may not always be available and once again plans need to be put on hold.
There are alternatives to transportation in our community, but those can also be a challenge and may not always be reliable. People who have to rely on the city bus or paratransit find it challenging because the times offered may not fit their needs. Passport funding does not cover transportation to medical appointments so people with limited financial resources living on $1,100/month from ODSP face one more barrier.
The funding that Community Living London receives from the government does not cover the extra wish list items such as renovations, equipment and vehicles.
Limited accessibility to transportation makes it difficult for people we support to plan activities and appointments. People miss out on opportunities because they can’t just get into a vehicle and go somewhere. Lack of accessible transportation not only limits their mobility, but also access to education, healthcare, and opportunities that make them smile.
The cost of just ONE wheelchair accessible van is $140,000.
This is a significant ask, one that will make an incredible impact in the lives of people we support all across Community Living London. This holiday season, we ask you to join in making dreams come true - one ride at a time.
Together, we can help the people we support live a life of independence filled with adventure, exploration and endless possibilities.
