Help for access centre

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

This is the second in a monthly series featuring the charities and nonprofits recognized by Penticton’s 100 Women Who Care. Four times a year, the group meets to award three local charities a monetary grant.

The Penticton and Area Access Society was recognized by 100 Women Who Care in April, along with the Soupateria and SPCA.

The non-profit received $2,650, which staff say makes a big difference in all they do.

"We were ecstatic, very excited," said David Desautels, poverty law advocate with the society. "We run on very limited funds, so any time we get a substantial amount of money like that the board is very happy."

The organization started out as the Penticton and Area Women's Centre in the 1970s, offering more services to women over time.

In the mid 2000s after the Penticton community law office closed the women's centre applied to the Law Foundation of BC for  funding for an advocate and they were successful, said Desautels.

"So the poverty law advocate was created within the women's centre by gaining funding for the program," he said. "And one of the criteria to be more successful in that is they had to provide services to men and women who were struggling with poverty issues."

They changed names a few years aback and becomes a charitable organization in 2015.

Their goal is to create a community that values women and men equally, offers them support and encourages them to live to their full potential.

To achieve this they offer a number of different services.

They are first of all a resource centre offering information on a wide variety of topics from housing to mental health, violence against women, wills and much more.

They have a disabilities advocate whose job is to assist people with their application for disability benefits.

There is also a very successful volunteer income tax preparation program and north and south outreach advocates serving Summerland and Oliver, Osoyoos and Keremeos.

Then there is Desautels'  program. He is the poverty law advocate assisting with appeals with the Canada Pension Plan, income assistance, residential tenancy, human rights complaints, small claims court and family and criminal law matters.

"There is a big need in our community for the many services we offer," he said. "Last year we had in excess of 3,000 people come through our door."