Red Cross backs out of house-cleaning, snow-shoveling services

The Canadian Red Cross has served notice that, as of Apr. 1, it will no longer administer the city's home-care assistance program. 

"In November 2020, Red Cross informed the city that they would be transitioning out of the provision of this service," says Tom Vair, the city's deputy chief administrative officer for community development and enterprise services.

For the past two years, Canadian Red Cross has received $50,000 annually to help seniors or others who are physically unable to clear snow or perform other household chores.

House-cleaning help is provided to 87 clients each month and 68 clients get assistance moving snow.

The Red Cross outsources most of this work to the local March of Dimes and Victorian Order of Nurses.

"Although the Red Cross will be transitioning out of the services above, it is important that we emphasize that the Red Cross is not leaving the community," said Diane Lajambe, Red Cross deputy director of operations for Northern Ontario, in a letter sent to the city last month.

"In addition to our growing role in emergency management, we intend to focus our resources in areas where we can deliver the greatest value to the health sector and the community and leverage our core strengths to support seniors and the overall health and wellness of communities," Lajambe said.

"In the north, this includes working alongside First Nation communities to help build capacity and support health and wellness within Indigenous communities."

"We are also working to engage volunteers in addressing social isolation, safety, transitions home, and so much more. We will also continue to participate actively in health sector transformation discussions to determine how and where Red Cross has a role to play."

District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board (Social Services) has offered to take over administrative responsibility for the program and will work with the other agencies to ensure continuation of the service.

Social Services is expected to continue using March of Dimes and Victorian Order of Nurses for program delivery.

"Also, there may be an opportunity to grow the program under the leadership of Social Services," Vair said in a report to Mayor Provenzano and City Council.