Chartwell Retirement Residences announced it has launched the CaRES Fund in partnership with other sector leaders to help support senior living workers on the front-lines of the COVID-19 battle.
The CaRES Fund – which stands for Chartwell Retirement Residences, Revera Inc., Extendicare and Sienna Senior Living – will offer one-time financial grants of up to $10,000 for urgent financial needs to employees of all retirement and long-term care operators in Canada.
In addition to its original $500,000 contribution, Chartwell’s Board of Directors have waived a portion of their 2020 compensation to add an additional $225,000 toward the fund, which currently consists of $2 million.
Longer term, the CaRES Fund will work to achieve charitable status for continued emergency support and to provide assistance for employees and their families seeking to pursue higher education and/or training. The founding partners are inviting other operators to join in and expand both the vision and resources for this important initiative.
Chartwell was also a founding member of the Canadian Alliance to Protect and Equip Senior Living (“CAPES”). CAPES represented the coming together of senior living operators, volunteers and partners who combined funds to act as a joint purchasing group to supply much needed personal protective equipment (“PPE”) to front-line employees in senior living. The founding members over-funded their PPE orders by 35 per cent to allow the excess supply to be available at cost to smaller operators across Canada.
With COVID-19 having particularly impacted the senior living sector, Chartwell says it is standing together with all senior living operators to put the safety and support of staff and residents first. “It is truly humbling to see the commitment of employees in all retirement and long term care residences across Canada, despite the risks, to care for someone else’s loved one,” the press release said. “The CaRES Fund is our collective thank you.”
Applications for financial assistance can be made online at https://www.seniorlivingcares.ca/
