Now that Van With a Plan has launched and is out on the road, we want to highlight all the ways our community’s newest mobile outreach unit could be put to use.
During the pandemic, we have listened deeply to the community as needs changed and challenges in servicing the community have evolved. The development of Van With a Plan was a direct response to helping meet those needs by creating a mobile outreach unit to reach people where they are—in any corner of Chatham-Kent, at any time. The Van is intended for our human and social services nonprofit sector–for those who could not afford their own van and for filling in the gaps with those who do. Van With a Plan is a completely free service for our partners to use, thanks to the generous donations of our sponsors and our community—that’s you!
We hope you’ll soon see Van With a Plan out in your community. Here are some of the ways the Van will be put to use:
It’s a people mover
With its large capacity, the Van can move several people while still maintaining a six-foot separation and adhering to COVID-19 protocols. This means that our community partners could use it to transport clients to appointments, and service providers to clients.
It’s a wellness clinic
Chatham-Kent has a growing population of citizens who are homeless or sleep rough each night. The Van will allow service providers to go into the community and check on our friends outside, offering wellness checks, medical follow-up, and mobile clinics that are confidential, safe and dignified.
It’s a food delivery service
Our community partners deliver hundreds of meals to people who need them each day. With food insecurity affecting a larger population each year, the Van will allow meal delivery to those who require it throughout Chatham-Kent, most importantly servicing rural areas where it may be harder to get to those waiting for delicious, healthy meals.
It’s a safe space
The Van was designed with the safety and dignity of all those who will use it, in mind. The brand-new Van is secure and comfortable for drivers and passengers; tinted windows offer privacy; the cargo space is large and can be reconfigured to suit most needs and most importantly, the Van is available to be reserved and used 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We know that the needs of the community do not end with the workday.
And it’s so much more!
As our service partners assess their own needs and reserve the Van, we know the usefulness of the Van will continue to grow.
Van With a Plan is supported by the generosity of our sponsors: Blenheim Chevrolet Buick GMC Limited, Heuvelmans Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac Limited, and Chatham Nissan as well as Impact Graphics, Tek Savvy, Maple City Homes, The Appleton Team of Royal LePage Peifer Realty and through community donations.