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Jazzy fundraiser for Penticton and Area Access Society

The Penticton and Area Access Society is hosting the third Jazzy Night fundraiser at the Barking Parrot on Feb. 12.
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The Penticton and Area Access Society is hosting the third Jazzy Night fundraiser at the Barking Parrot on Feb. 12.

The fundraiser will feature a performance by the Thursday Night Jazz Band as well as a 50/50 draw and a silent auction.

Formerly the Penticton and Area Women’s Centre, the Access Society has broadened its scope in the last year to encompass the range of services being offered in the area to alleviate the effects of poverty.

The society offers aid for those who have disabilities, helping with applications and equipment acquisition; legal advocacy, covering a range of legal issues and referring clients to pro bono lawyers or other forms of legal assistance available. The society also offers an income tax assistance program, helping those with low income maximize their tax benefits and qualify for government programs and assistance.

The society also offers an all-encompassing drop-in and referral program open Monday through Thursday where the workers assist clients in a range of issues.

“We will sit down and listen to what it is and help them sort it out. Hopefully by the time they leave they will either have a solution to their problem, or they’re at least linked to someone who will assist them,” Elmie Saaltink, chair of the board for the Penticton and Area Access Society, said.

She estimated the society gets 1,000 clients a month in the drop-in program.

“The money really does help us to carry on our regular programming, but there is a huge and increasing demand  for our services,” Saaltink said. “People don’t think that poverty is a big issue in town here, but we have 1,000 cases coming to our door that say it is a problem.”

The society receives funding from B.C. Gaming and the Legal Services Society along with other sources like the Community Foundation or the City of Penticton’s recent allocation of $4,000 in January.

“It will help us rent additional space for our income tax program,” Saaltink said adding that those funds will help with the publication of a booklet that promotes low-cost services throughout the Okanagan.

Fundraising events like this one help fill in the gaps for the society.

“There’s a huge demand for our services and there are lots of items that don’t get covered under those particular programs,” Saaltink said. “There are lots of areas where we’re scrambling because we really try to fill holes where we see holes. So we’re often seeing there are pieces that need to happen for people that we don’t have funding for.”

Saaltink said the circumstances around poverty are diverse and encompass many different types of people.

“We have people who are disabled who are working as much as they can. We have people with low-income jobs who aren’t able to manage. The stuff we see coming in the door is tough.”

Tickets to the fundraiser are $20 and include a beer and a burger. For tickets call 250-493-6822.