The Prince Edward Learning Centre is asking council for support in helping them fund a program which will have a compounding effect on the community.
Executive Director Kathy Kennedy asked council at their committee of the whole meeting on Thursday afternoon at Shire Hall for$35,000 to help them implement an expansion of their services.
Those services include financial literacy and education, free tax filing, benefit screening and access to benefits and one-on-one counselling and problem solving.
She says they want to be able to reach residents outside of Picton but cannot do so without an expansion of their resources.
Kennedy told councillors they were able to return $1.1 million to their clients for the 2018 tax year and $4.1 million over four years.
She says they want to expand the number of participants this year, as well as host clinics throughout the year and create a sustainable model that would not require council’s support in the future.
Kennedy says they are seeing a need for their services right across the board; students, first-time filers, single mothers, families and seniors. The thing they all have in common it that their income is below $35,000.
Kennedy noted financial insecurity costs municipalities between 0.3% and 4.6% of their budget, which translates to between $162,000 and $2.5 million in Prince Edward County. Those costs show up as evictions, homelessness, food insecurity, family violence, unpaid taxes and utility bills.
Councillor Brad Nieman asked if PELC had considered applying for a community grant.
Kennedy stated they had not because she thought they did not qualify, but stated they wouldn’t rule out alternate funding sources as they are seeking funding from services clubs and community organizations to help fund the expansion of their services.
She said currently funds raised at a bake sale are funding their program along with support from the Greater Than Youth Collective and Huff Family Fund.
Councillor Ernie Margetson said the results of their program so far seem very encouraging.
The work done by PELC falls under the Poverty Reduction Strategy which is a pillar in the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan for Prince Edward County.
The request will be considered at budget time later this month.
