VERNON — Vernon’s Upper Room Mission says it will be able to reopen again between meals after getting federal money to hire summer students.
“We received confirmation on Friday from Employment and Social Development Canada that our application for the Canada Summer Jobs had been approved,” said Upper Room Mission executive director Rick Lavin.
Now the organization is looking for applications from people under 30-years-old who attended school full time this year and are returning to a post-secondary school after the summer.
“We would prefer a student enrolled in a related field of study,” said Lavin.
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Lavin says the successful applicants that get hired on will be paid $13 per hour and will work 40 hours per week for up to 10 weeks.
READ MORE: Donations down, demand up: Vernon’s Upper Room Mission feeling stretched
He anticipates hiring will be completed by the end of next week and that the Mission will be able to reopen between meals starting May 23rd or sooner.
“The Mission will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. We will serve breakfast at 9 a.m., lunch at 12 p.m., and dinner at 5 p.m.,” said Lavin.
The Upper Room Mission was one of the north Okanagan non-profits that were forced to make service cuts after they were denied provincial gaming grants.
READ MORE: Gaming grant denials cause North Okanagan non-profit service cuts
“We recognized the impact that our not being open has had on our clients, the community, and our partners. We are very happy that we will be able to re-open.”
Lavin says the next 10 weeks will be spent working to restructure the services offered at the Mission and to look for alternate funding sources.
~ With files from Megan Turcato
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