Garth Homer Society
The mission of the Garth Homer Society is simple: to create opportunities for independence, growth and participation in the community with people who strive to overcome developmental and physical obstacles.
These powerful words are what drive the more than 50 dedicated staff members into action every day. Established by visionary Garth Homer, who, more than three decades ago, decided to champion the needs of people living with disabilities. Today, as a result, the Garth Homer Society (GHS) provides daytime services to more than 120 adults with developmental disability living in the Greater Victoria area.
The Society is dedicated to delivering professional, individualized services to actively further the inclusion of adults with developmental disabilities. Services offered by GHS include Social Life Skills and Supported Employment. Social Life Skills Services works with clients who want to participate in their community by volunteering, joining recreation or leisure activities or developing their artistic abilities. Supported Employment Services works with those who wish to obtain paid employment.
Support for charitable organizations is always a concern and GHS is no exception. On-going needs require on-going monies in order to best serve the clients. Large or small, gifts to the Society can make significant impact. One such success story is that of Ashley Haagensen.
Ashley is a young woman living with Cerebral Palsy and a client of GHS. Like many clients, it is important for Ashley to spend time on the computer. Being in a wheelchair however, makes working at a table quite difficult. The solution to this obstacle was easy to determine; the organization needed an adjustable table. The question remained: how would purchasing this table be possible? The answer? Through philanthropy.
The adjustable table and computer upgrade project were funded through the Goodwill Fund held at the Victoria Foundation as well as by private donors. The addition of the workstation, three touch computers and eight new software titles is making a huge difference. Having an opportunity to use technological resources helps clients achieve greater independence.
Just ask Ashley. In a recent visit to the Centre, Ashley demonstrated how she could use levers to easily adjust the height of the keyboard and the monitor. She now works comfortably at the computer improving her typing skills and working on problem solving exercises. When asked about her initial reaction at the new table’s arrival in the Computer Resource Centre, “I went wow, something that moves!” she said, “The other table was a lot harder to work with. My hands were often stuck and I would have to stop all the time to relax them”.
Ashley’s goal is to get an office job. She is currently getting experience volunteering as a receptionist at the Disability Working Centre, where her efforts and warm demeanour have earned her glowing reports.
In addition to funding items like the adjustable table, the Victoria Foundation and some of its donors support GHS programs such as ArtWorks, Pathways, CAT (Community Access Team), Discovery, DREAMS and more. For more information on the GHS, call 250.475.2270 or visit www.garthhomersociety.org.
