After years of planning, The Lending Cupboard unveiled their new facility in north Red Deer at a grand opening celebration.
The move to the new facility, which will help the Lending Cupboard continue to lend medical equipment to those who need it in the community, was built after a $250,000 fundraising campaign was started last May.
Dawna Morey, executive director of the Lending Cupboard, said it has been an amazing journey.
“When I first joined The Lending Cupboard, the one thing they asked me to look at was the facility, whether it was meeting the need and what to do to address any issues with the facility,” she said. “It quickly became evident to us through our community needs assessment that our services would need to continue to grow.”
The search was on, eventually landing on 1-7803 50th Avenue.
“We looked at multiple sites and ultimately landed here,” Morey said. “We then started the work on the capital campaign and the lease-holder improvements in order to operate properly.
“Today we are halfway over our goal to be able to finish off the loan to pay for the requirements we need in the present facility.”
To help with the $250,000, Servus Credit Union donated $25,000, which helped pay for the many improvements needed to serve The Lending Cupboard’s clients.
“We came into a blank shell here,” Morey said, adding the facility required adequate space for staff, clients, volunteers and the essential equipment repair shop.
The new facility will allow The Lending Cupboard to expand beyond the 10,000 clients they served last year.
“We know those numbers will only continue to increase based on demographics, on the needs of the people living in our region and based on some changing best practices from Alberta Health Services,” Morey said, adding that out of 10,000 pieces of equipment — 70 per cent is out in the community.
Once the new facility is paid for, Morey said it is vital for The Lending Cupboard to find sustainable funding.
“We are very reliant on fundraising and donation, so we are hoping to see more sustainable funding that will assure that we will continue to be here in the future,” she said.
