Family Services Windsor-Essex is expanding financial empowerment services after securing $700,000 in federal funding over three years.
The money comes through Prosper Canada’s Resilient Futures initiative, funded by Employment and Social Development Canada, and will support free tax filing, benefits access, financial coaching and education.
Ciara Holmes, executive director of Family Services Windsor-Essex says affordability pressures are pushing more families to look for help wherever they can.
“Affordability is one of the most taxing things that families across Windsor-Essex, are facing right now,” she said.
“So anything that we can do, especially through funding initiatives like this to support families with accessing that additional income through benefits, that’s really where we’re finding a key difference, and we’re working towards supporting people with accessing additional benefits in every way that we can.”
Adam Fair, vice-president of strategy and development with Prosper Canada says many people are missing out on money simply because they are not filing taxes.
“Best estimates are that $2 billion gets left on the table every year, because, people are having trouble filing their taxes, and so for individuals, it’s really important,” he said.
“That’s the best way to be able to get access to your benefits. But even if you file, there’s still other benefits that people don’t know about. And so we’re, working to make sure that we’re connecting everyone to those benefits, because they’re needed now more than ever.”
Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore MP Kathy Borrelli says financial stress is cutting across party lines and income levels.
“When grocery prices are so high and fuel is high, housing is high, housing’s unattainable for many, many people, of course, it’s a nonpartizan issue,” she said.
“It’s something that communities like ours need to come together to help, the way Family Services Windsor is.”
Family Services expects the expanded program to help about 6,000 people each year with tax filing, plus hundreds more through coaching and benefits support.