STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL: People in Motion

“Our camps typically have a group size of 15 and we do horseback riding, rock climbing, we come to the waterparks. We get to spend the day in our community,” Kari Rubel, director of education and programs for People in Motion said . “And it’s really neat for these kids to experience things they typically wouldn’t do on a regular Monday to Friday. So we really make their camp day super special.”

The kids and adults that participate in the summer camps and other programs offered by People In Motion have diverse abilities and are all unique.

“We work with people in the autism spectrum, we have people who have learning delays, people in wheelchairs, people with some mental illness,” said People In Motion executive director Debora DeLyzer. “We provide amazing programs and services.”

Those programs include cooking classes and life-skills courses, such as money and budgeting. It’s all about helping their 400 clients become more independent.

Image Credit: CFJC Today

“Teaching them stranger danger, looking both ways. These are common skills that all of us take for granted and it’s just a natural ability that we have,” said Rubel. “But in the diversity that I work with, it’s super important that there is repetition and we remind them that those are life skills that we have to carry through our whole life.”

But executive director Deb DeLyzer, however, is finding it harder to make ends meet and keep necessary programs going. She says United Way funding has dropped slightly in the last couple years.

“The United Way has been a huge supporter for People in Motion over the years, but at the end of the day, there are so many great not-for-profit organizations in our community and we’re all looking for funding,” said DeLyzer.

Some of its funding comes from grants and donations. But the big money maker comes from the sale of disabled parking permits, which brings in $140,000 a year.

“A person who has either a temporary disability or a long-term disability would go to their doctor. The doctor is the one who fills out the form and determines how long they need the permit for,” said DeLyzer. “From there, we issue the permits in-house. We put them in the mail, however it need be. A temporary parking permit is $25 and a full-time permanent parking pass is $40, but that covers you for three full years.”

Ali is a volunteer with People In Motion but has also been helped by the organization over the years. She is globally delayed, making the learning process slower. But she says People In Motion has helped her.

“It’s to get my skills up more because when I was small, I did not know how to socialize with others,” noted Ali. “So basically, my parents put me in People In Motion and it helped me a long the way.”

People In Motion provides the transportation as well for the participants, driving them wherever the program activities are. The bus came from generous donations from the community, including the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.

With limited funds, DeLyzer is reaching out to small businesses to see if they can lend a hand. It can keeping a program running or even expand some that are offered.

“Both of our life skills and our cooking programs are super popular. Right now, I’m looking for funding so we can look for a secondary location, and/or on a different day of the week hire another instructor to do that,” noted DeLyzer.

People In Motion has been contracted by Thompson Rivers University to provide a second life skills program. The non-profit hopes for more of these partnerships in the future to expand what it can offer.

by Chad Klassen

STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL: People in Motion

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