• Home
  • Posts
  • Abilis and Other Nonprofits Awarded Grants for Improvements

Abilis and Other Nonprofits Awarded Grants for Improvements

Abilis, a human services organization located in Greenwich, was one of many local non-profits to be recommended funds from the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG)
Abilis, a human services organization located in Greenwich, was one of many local non-profits to be recommended funds from the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG)

 

First Selectman Peter J. Tesei and Community Development Administrator Princess Erfe heard recently from local nonprofits regarding recommendations made for the upcoming year of Community Development Funding.

Among the nonprofits receiving funds and in attendance on Aug. 8 to show their thanks were the YWCA of Greenwich, the Greenwich Historical Society, Family Centers, Kids in Crisis, the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, Abilis and more.

Funding recommendations for public service activities included $7,500 going towards Family Centers’ First Steps Center Preschool Program at Armstrong Court, $10,000 going towards Crisis Nursery Emergency Services for Kids In Crisis, $5,000 for emergency housing and crisis counseling at the YWCA of Greenwich and moretotalling $108,750.

Of the rehabilitation and acquisition projects, which totals $502,025, the largest fund allocations will be going to Abilis for a parking lot expansion and repaving project ($64,050), the Housing Authority of Greenwich for a painting and upgrade of the McKinney Terrace I ($180,000), Inspirica, Inc. for an elevator for their Center for Children and Families ($60,000), and Neighbor to Neighbor for a new building elevator ($79,000).

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds will also go towards acquiring vehicles for both the Friends of Laurel House and the Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG).

The Friends of Laurel House will receive funds to support the purchase of a new van to replace their 2001 van, which has been instrumental in supporting the various programs and services, such as the revenuegenerating thrift shop of Laurel House.

TAG will acquire a handicapped-accessible vehicle with the support of CDBG funds, which will be used to transport the elderly, handicapped-individuals and children. The vehicle will also be used to deliver food to homebound clients of local food banks.

For nonprofits like Abilis, a human services organization in Greenwich supporting individuals and families with special needs, the funds come at an important time as recent state cuts have affected daily operations in their 65th year of service.

“Their safety and their well being in every aspect of their life is our top priority,” said Nancy Heller, Abilis director of development. “It’s a very vulnerable population, particularly right now in light of state budget cuts and other things going on, the funding is so critical.”

A parking lot expansion and repaving plan will complete a project started in recent years in an attempt to make the exterior of the facility safer and to bring independence to those who are a part of an Abilis program.

They say that the uneven surfaces of the parking lot combined with some poor drainage permitted the lot to freeze over and otherwise pose a safety risk to those entering and leaving.

“We had a serious accident in the past year from the lack of parking spots and people trying to back up and trying to find spots. Someone got hit,” said Tim Murtha, director of operations for Abilis. “We also have a drainage issue so when it rains hard our basement gets flooded. We had started phase one about two or three years ago, which was $46,000 spent for drainage and the repaving of the parking lot, which was never finished. This will complete that project and add about 14 parking spots so that everyone can come in and park safely without driving around and backing up.”

With the revamped parking lot and entrance to the facility, Abilis hopes to showcase its own gift store and greenhouse to the public.

“We also have a store in our greenhouse, which will provide public parking so people can come in and purchase greenhouse products,” said Murtha. “We employ about 20 people and the people we serve have jobs there. Maybe there will be more jobs made with this expanded parking lot.”

Abilis serves about 700 people with a variety of special needs per year and has close to 200 people who go to their headquarters on a daily basis for day program support, competitive and supportive employment, and daily activities.

The 33 vehicles Abilis has for their 23 different residencies, used for bringing people to and from the facility, will now have more space to safely park and maneuver.

“You’ve got a lot of people coming and going,” Nancy Heller said. “The thing with the parking lot is that there is a lot of uneven surfaces. For people who are wheelchair dependent and for those who are less mobile, some of these surfaces are very difficult for them to maneuver independently and they need support. What we’re trying to do more than anything, is to let people empower them as much as possible.”

Abilis says they want to become more visible in the community and to give the public more access to the supportive programs of their residents.

“We want people to know where we are and to see our name,” said Heller. “We’ve gone through a name change, and a lot of people know we were formerly Greenwich ARC.”

Heller said that with the name change in 2008 Abilis has remained a “well-kept secret” within the community, but now they hope to raise awareness of what they do for those receiving their help and services.

“In our 65th year, we are going to have more of a campaign to not only help people pronounce our name, but also to know where we are and what we do,” said Heller. “That’s incredibly important for us. The services we provide are really important and they are for a group of people whom otherwise don’t have anyone to speak up for them. We’re there to advocate for many of them who don’t have their own voice.”

Just a week prior to opening and starting up a life skills program in Westport, Abilis says that the state said they could only support people by paying for one day per week in July and August. An increase of funding for three days a week will be in effect for September through December before full funding is available for the program and its members.

“That’s a really difficult situation to be in for families and individuals,” Heller said. “We’re working hard to support those families, help them advocate and to provide opportunities for not just the day programming, but to get together and have those important social opportunities in the evening.”

“The need is there,” Heller added. “It’s not a shrinking population, it’s a growing population. It’s also an aging population. People are living much longer and we are continuously serving a group that is older and is being allowed to age in place.”

Related Posts
Loading...