COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund
Donation protected
The Calgary Association of the Deaf (CAD) is a non-profit organization. CAD is working to protect and promote the rights, needs and concerns of Deaf Calgarians while endeavoring to improve the quality of life for Deaf people in general. There is an estimated 36,000 Deaf individuals including indigenous people in Alberta which includes children, adults and seniors, 50% of that population is from Southern Alberta. The Calgary Association of the Deaf is currently serving annually to support them.
The CAD recently held its grand opening of their new office facility on March 7th, we are excited to hold social events, workshop meetings, ASL Training, and have a safe place for members and the Deaf community to come to during times like this. However, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, CAD has closed its office to support the efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 using government recommended self-isolation and social distancing.
We understand everyone is impacted by the COVID-19, but some impacts are greater for vulnerable groups. For Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, there are additional layers of impact and anxiety that most people may not be aware or experience that puts our Deaf community at greater disadvantage.
Our Deaf Community does not have full access to communication provided by news media in American Sign Language (ASL). Closed Captioning is not enough when English or French is not the primary language for the Deaf Community. Therefore, by the time they receive the information in ASL, often they are behind the rest of the communities in preparation for safety protocols, self-isolation, accessing and purchasing food and supplies, etc.
Economic challenges have always been a reality for our Deaf community, but now more than ever, the impact is severe. Many Deaf individuals and families are experiencing financial hardship from layoffs, they previously lived pay cheque to pay cheque and through utilization of government subsidies. With schools closed, families relying on school meal programs for their kids to have breakfast or lunch are now going without. In addition, individuals losing health benefits because of mass layoffs impacts the Deaf Community in a very heightened way.
What we are doing:
The Calgary Association of the Deaf created the COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund. We have 34 volunteers to support the Deaf community including Deaf seniors, Deaf Blind and Deaf with multiple disabilities.
· Our volunteers are working very hard to serve and work closely with health professionals all over Southern Alberta to provide Sign Language interpreted updates to the Deaf communities and Deaf seniors.
• Delivering food and supplies to the Deaf community while distributing flyer notifications of all the current updates on COVID-19 in effort to keep them informed.
• Answering thousands of requests by video phones, chat, paper notification flyers, and emails to connect people with disaster, food and supplies, housing and health care resources and much more.
• Producing large font transcripts, colour contrast video and other forms of accessibility ASL Interpreted videos for the Deaf Blind and Seniors to be able to follow the media updates on COVID-19.
What support we need:
We need support more than ever! We are running low on funds for Sign Language interpreters to produce accessible videos and transcripts to send out to our Deaf community to keep up with the media updates on COVID-19. We require funds to continue providing food, supplies, and medication to those in need. We also require mobile devices and other forms of electronic technology, so our Deaf community has access to receive updates on COVID-19, access to communicate with our volunteers should they require support, and access for virtual socialization.
Calgary Association of the Deaf is committed to standing with our resilient Deaf communities and supporting those impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. We know that together, we will overcome this pandemic by making sure the most vulnerable among us are protected.
To donate mobile devices and technologies, please email [email redacted].
website: www.cgyad.com
The CAD recently held its grand opening of their new office facility on March 7th, we are excited to hold social events, workshop meetings, ASL Training, and have a safe place for members and the Deaf community to come to during times like this. However, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, CAD has closed its office to support the efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 using government recommended self-isolation and social distancing.
We understand everyone is impacted by the COVID-19, but some impacts are greater for vulnerable groups. For Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, there are additional layers of impact and anxiety that most people may not be aware or experience that puts our Deaf community at greater disadvantage.
Our Deaf Community does not have full access to communication provided by news media in American Sign Language (ASL). Closed Captioning is not enough when English or French is not the primary language for the Deaf Community. Therefore, by the time they receive the information in ASL, often they are behind the rest of the communities in preparation for safety protocols, self-isolation, accessing and purchasing food and supplies, etc.
Economic challenges have always been a reality for our Deaf community, but now more than ever, the impact is severe. Many Deaf individuals and families are experiencing financial hardship from layoffs, they previously lived pay cheque to pay cheque and through utilization of government subsidies. With schools closed, families relying on school meal programs for their kids to have breakfast or lunch are now going without. In addition, individuals losing health benefits because of mass layoffs impacts the Deaf Community in a very heightened way.
What we are doing:
The Calgary Association of the Deaf created the COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund. We have 34 volunteers to support the Deaf community including Deaf seniors, Deaf Blind and Deaf with multiple disabilities.
· Our volunteers are working very hard to serve and work closely with health professionals all over Southern Alberta to provide Sign Language interpreted updates to the Deaf communities and Deaf seniors.
• Delivering food and supplies to the Deaf community while distributing flyer notifications of all the current updates on COVID-19 in effort to keep them informed.
• Answering thousands of requests by video phones, chat, paper notification flyers, and emails to connect people with disaster, food and supplies, housing and health care resources and much more.
• Producing large font transcripts, colour contrast video and other forms of accessibility ASL Interpreted videos for the Deaf Blind and Seniors to be able to follow the media updates on COVID-19.
What support we need:
We need support more than ever! We are running low on funds for Sign Language interpreters to produce accessible videos and transcripts to send out to our Deaf community to keep up with the media updates on COVID-19. We require funds to continue providing food, supplies, and medication to those in need. We also require mobile devices and other forms of electronic technology, so our Deaf community has access to receive updates on COVID-19, access to communicate with our volunteers should they require support, and access for virtual socialization.
Calgary Association of the Deaf is committed to standing with our resilient Deaf communities and supporting those impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. We know that together, we will overcome this pandemic by making sure the most vulnerable among us are protected.
To donate mobile devices and technologies, please email [email redacted].
website: www.cgyad.com
Organizer
Rellimwen Hctyr
Organizer
Calgary, AB
