ARCH gets boost from province, but still needs fundraising dollars

ARCH's executive director says an increase in provincial funding announced Wednesday will take some pressure off the hospice in meeting its operational funding needs, but she stresses that fundraising is still very much needed to fund the gap.  

MPP Ross Romano was on hand at the Fourth Line location to announce provincial funding for the hospice from two different sources. $473,000 is being provided for two years for nursing, personal support and other services delivered to patients, while an additional grant of $120,800 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation Resilient Communities Fund will allow for the addition of an all-new project coordinator role at ARCH.

Since 2008, ARCH has provided end-of-life care in the community at no cost to the individual or their families. It maintains 10 hospice beds at its facility on Fourth Line and was expanded in 2017 with additional space for families to gather and spend time together.

"For anyone in this community who has lost a loved one passing through these halls, they all say the same thing: they are all so thankful for the services that are provided here," said Romano.

ARCH pays for its operational budget with a mix of government funding and fundraising, said executive director Nicole Pearce.

"As everyone in this community is aware operational costs are on the increase so it will go a long way to supporting our day-to-day operating costs for our support workers, RNs and PSWs,' said Pearce after the announcement.

Although the hospice received one-time top ups in funding over parts of COVID-19 Pearce said Wednesday's announcement was the first increase in funding it has received from the provincial government in about seven years.

“We haven’t seen any increases into our yearly funding since 2016, so it’s a very welcome increase — with rising costs it helps to support us," she said.

Although the hospice received almost total $600,000 funding for the next two years it will have to make up an additional $850,000 in fundraising to meet its operational needs.

Pearce said fundraising efforts are back to full strength after being partially stalled during COVID-19 due to restrictions on gatherings.

“Our community has shown us again and again that they support our initiatives and that palliative care is really important to our community," she said.

A list of the hospice's current and upcoming fundraisers can be found on its web site. Pearce noted the Butterfly Release is scheduled for July 20.

“You can purchase a butterfly and release it with us in memory or in honour of a loved one who has passed,” she said.

A press release for today's announcement can be seen below:

SAULT STE. MARIE — Algoma Residential Community Hospice (ARCH) provides compassionate care through end-of-life to Algoma District families at no cost. ARCH offers a home-away-from-home during one of life’s most important moments: the end-of-life journey. To support the great work of this organization the Ontario government has provided a total of $593,800 in funding through both the Ministry of Health and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
 
As part of Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is expanding access to palliative care services in Sault Ste. Marie. This is part of Ontario’s $147.4 million investment over three years in communities across the province to connect more Ontarians to comfortable and dignified palliative care close to home and loved ones.
 
“I am proud to share that the Ontario government continues to support the very important services that ARCH provides to our community,” said Ross Romano, MPP for Sault Ste. Marie. “It is comforting that families can receive the emotional, spiritual, and physical comfort in a peaceful setting from compassionate staff and volunteers.”

A portion of this funding will be used to connect people to more palliative and end-of-life services across Ontario including:

• Grief and bereavement supports that help families and caregivers who are grieving the loss of a loved one;
• Advance care planning to help patients and families prepare for future health care decisions; and
• Perinatal palliative care programs that provide specialized grief, bereavement, and peer support that help parents prepare for the loss of their infant.

In addition to expanding palliative care services across the province, this investment will provide existing residential hospice beds in Sault Ste. Marie with over $473,000.00 in additional funding over the next two years for nursing, personal support, and other services delivered to patients at Algoma Residential Community Hospice (ARCH). Ontario is investing over $53.8 million over the next two years to increase funding by 45 per cent for all approved hospice beds in Ontario, plus an additional increase for hospice beds in small facilities.
 
ARCH has also received an Ontario Trillium Foundation Resilient Communities Fund grant of $120,800 over 24 months that will be utilized to hire a Project Coordinator who will implement community, in-house supportive care services and wellness opportunities for staff and volunteers to improve resilience and decrease burnout.
 
“With appreciation we acknowledge the Ontario Government, the Ministry of Health, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and MPP Ross Romano for recognizing the need for further investment in the future of Hospice Palliative Care,” said Nicole Pearce, Executive Director of ARCH Hospice. “This funding enables us to provide and expand specialized palliative care services. We thank the Ontario Government for their direct response to calls to strengthen the Hospice Palliative Care Sector to meet the inevitably growing demand for palliative and end-of-life care. ARCH Hospice receives partial government funding and must fundraise $850,000 per year through the support of our generous community.”
 
“When people approach the end of their life, they deserve to know that they can remain in their community, near loved ones,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Expanding access to end-of-life care in Ontario communities will provide patients and their families with additional choices, helping to ensure they stay close to home in a familiar setting, with the specialized care they need.”