Tuesday, March 19th is the Spring Equinox!

ACTIVE WITH MY NETWORK

Gary has been going to Solid Rock biker church in his community of Delta every Sunday for many years and he is an important part of the congregation. It is a very welcoming place to be and they always have snacks and coffee before the service starts for everyone to enjoy. Gary’s sister and support staff were thinking about how Gary could be more involved and give back. The idea came to us that since Gary would bake for himself every week, he loves having treats, then why didn’t he bake for his network at Church. So now every week Gary bakes something and brings it to Church. Gary likes to take care of people and now does his part of taking care of the congregation. Belonging to Solid Rock biker church has been important to Gary and he has made friends who now come to his home for parties. Everyone who knows Gary finds it so meaningful that he can share his gifts and contribute.

Written by Eilidh Nicholson
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COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES / EVENTS

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Life Without Driving

The decision to no longer drive has a profound impact on many seniors. We explore warning signs of the need to consider other ways of getting around, encourage planning, and outline alternatives to driving.

Adults 19yrs+ can register into this program 1 week prior to program start date, if spaces available.

The Seniors’ Health & Wellness Institute (Cosco) provides workshops about good health and better living for seniors. In this series of workshops we’ll focus on steps to take to ensure we stay healthy.

WHERE: Killarney Community Centre – Seniors Hall 151 (6260 Killarney St, Vancouver, BC)

WHEN: Wednesday, March 20th 11:30AM – 1:30PM

COST: FREE, but please register.

Click here to register. 
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Night Quest at Pacific Spirit Regional Park

WHERE: Pacific Spirit Regional Park, Park Centre 16th Avenue (400m west of Blanca Street)

WHEN: Friday, March 22nd & Saturday, March 23rd 7:00PM – 9:30PM

COST: FREE. Registration is required for a designated entry time.

Click here for more information and to register!

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Make Your Mark at CNH

CNH’s Community Lunch Menu For March (PAUSED)

For updates, please send an email to schu@cnh.bc.ca.
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What is happening in Vancouver in March?

Click on the link below to see what’s happening:

https://www.destinationvancouver.com/events/calendar-of-events/vancouver-events-in-march/

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FINANCIAL UPDATES

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The CNH Tax Clinic

The CNH Tax Clinic will be opening soon for folks wanting help with their tax returns! Running from February 24 until April 30.

The Clinic will be open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1-3pm at the Annex (drop off and in-person) and on Saturdays from 10-3pm at the Main House (5288 Joyce Street; in-person).

Make an appointment today by calling 604-428-9142 or visiting the following links:

http://tinyurl.com/cnhtaxclinicannex2024

http://tinyurl.com/cnhtaxclinicmain2024

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Spectrum is a member of Inclusion BC and supports their provincial advocacy on behalf of individuals and families with developmental disabilities.

This is their report on the provincial budget announced yesterday for 2024-2025. 

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Plan Institute Webinars

The Plan Institute has FREE upcoming regular webinars on the topics of the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and Wills, Trusts and Estates Planning.

RDSP

The Registered Disability Savings Plan is a Canada-wide registered matched savings plan for those with disabilities to better financially plan for their futures. The Level 1 webinar is meant for those who want to learn about what the RDSP is, who qualifies, and how to apply. The Level 2 webinar is for those who already have a RDSP, or have already taken Level 1.

Next Level 1 Webinar: Thursday March 21st, 7 – 8:15pm

Next Level 2 Webinar: Wednesday March 27th, 7 – 8:45pm

Click here to register and for more information

Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning (BC Only)

This webinar is meant for those who want to become better informed on the process of wills, trusts and estate planning to better secure the future of your relative or loved one with a disability. There is a limit of 60 participants so early registration is encouraged!

Next Webinar: Thursday March 28th, 7 – 8:15pm

Click here to register and for more information

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HEALTH & SAFETY
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Sun Life Healthy You: Be a fan of your health

We launched the Sun Life Healthy You (SLHY) hub in 2023. We want to encourage Canadians to take charge of their health. We also want them to know that Sun Life is here as a partner that can help them live healthier lives. We built the SLHY hub as part of Sun Life’s ongoing multi-year partnership with the Toronto Raptors. It provides practical advice on the topics of goal setting, routine building, physical fitness, nutrition, and mental health.

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Diabetes Coaching with Lumino Health Pharmacy

Lumino Health Pharmacy offers pharmacy services, provided by Pillway. In January 2024, they will begin offering diabetes coaching from a pharmacist to all plan members, free of charge!

Diabetes is a fast-growing chronic disease, and the cost of drugs to treat it is on the rise. Plan members with diabetes often experience other chronic diseases at the same time. Coaching with Lumino Health Pharmacy aims to help plan members follow their treatment and improve health outcomes.

About Lumino Health Pharmacy

Launched in July, Lumino Health Pharmacy is an optional service. There’s free delivery within Canada to help manage medication routines with confidence.

About the diabetes coaching program

To start a coaching session, plan members sign in to the Lumino Health Pharmacy mobile app or website.

• Coaching will focus on lifestyle, diet, nutrition, mental health, health literacy and medication management.
• On-going coaching is also available if needed.
• The pharmacist can also coordinate with other health-care providers (if requested by the plan member). This includes general practitioners, specialists, and dietitians to best support plan members.

SunLife will launch diabetes coaching to plan members in January 2024. They send emails directly to targeted plan members who are actively claiming for diabetes-related medication(s). These emails will aim to raise awareness about the service and encourage them to use it. Standard exclusions will apply for plan member communications.

When plan members sign in to the my Sun Life mobile app or mysunlife.ca, they’ll receive messages about the program.

More details will follow about the coaching program in January, along with a preview of the plan member emails.

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CLBC Reminder to get your flu and COVID-19 shots

Community Living BC encourages everyone who has yet to receive their COVID and flu shots this season, to kindly do so as soon as possible, ideally before the holiday season. COVID-19 remains a risk to the population (especially for those who are unvaccinated) and influenza cases are rising.

Priority to receive the COVID-19 vaccination is given to all individuals supported by CLBC. Invitations for this season’s vaccinations have been sent through email or text to everyone who has registered for a COVID vaccination in the past. It is possible to book both vaccinations in the same appointment! These vaccinations are free and available at pharmacies, health care authority clinics, and some primary care provider’s offices.

You can book your appointment through the Get Vaccinated System.

If you need help booking your appointment, you can call 1-833-838-2323. This number is open 7 days a week from 7am – 7pm and 9am – 5pm on statutory holidays.

Click here for BC’s fall respiratory illness immunization campaign

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Is there anyone you know that is looking for meaningful work?

If you have a friend, family member or meet someone in the community that is interested in joining the team and you refer them to Spectrum, you could be eligible for a referral bonus!

If the person referred is hired and maintains at least 6 months of consistent employment with Spectrum, we will award a $250 Referral Bonus.

*for more information on the program, please email hr@spectrumsociety.org

We thank you for bringing us quality applicants/employees!