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High Country Helps offering assistance to the vulnerable

The faith-based and inter-denominational non-profit society was created by a Millarville couple to connect neighbours with each other and the resources they need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bill and Sharon Bieber
Bill and Sharon Bieber, of Millarville, launched High Country Helps, a non-profit society geared to support vulnerable citizens through the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo Submitted)

A global crisis was the push a Millarville couple needed to get their grassroots initiative that has neighbours helping neighbours off the ground.

High Country Helps, a faith-based and inter-denominational non-profit society, was created by retired physician Bill Bieber and his wife Sharon, a retired teacher, to connect neighbours with each other and the resources they need during the COVID-19 pandemic. The society is a collaboration between High Country churches, Youth With a Mission and other community organizations.

“It’s about creating resilient communities to deal with these things,” said Bieber. “At the end of the day it’s neighbours looking after neighbours.”

The Biebers established the initiative following the 2013 flood, but it never fully got off the ground.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Alberta in March, discussions began at Millarville Community Church, where the Biebers attend, about what could be done to address the crisis locally.

That’s when the couple stepped in with their idea.

They soon connected with local churches, the Oilfields Food Bank, Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) and various other High Country organizations to bring High Country Helps to Black Diamond, Longview, Millarville, Priddis and Turner Valley residents.

“We thought, let’s resurrect the whole idea of abundant communities by creating block connectors where every block one person keeps an eye on the whole block as to who are vulnerable people who need help,” said Bieber. “What COVID-19 has shown very clearly is that neighbours do need each other. It seemed like this was the right time to go ahead.”

The couple put out a request for block connectors, a volunteer role that requires the individual or couple to reach out to up to 20 of their nearest neighbours, obtain their contact information, determine their needs or potential vulnerabilities and get them in touch with community resources.

“The challenge is finding people and helping them understand that they are vulnerable,” Bieber said. “Most people don’t volunteer that they’re elderly and vulnerable so the only way is for neighbours to identify who might be vulnerable on their block.”

To further propel High Country Helps, the couple applied for and received funding through FCSS for the Social Services Support for COVID-19 and hired a program manager to oversee the initiative, said Sharon.

“Even though the funding we received was COVID-related and especially for the elderly and vulnerable, we’re in a pretty good position to say it will carry on to whatever is the next need or even everyday needs in the community that brings people closer together,” she said. “Everybody feels emotionally and mentally stronger when they’re connected with other people. It makes the community stronger.”

Program manager Cheryl Brown said while the non-profit society is in its infancy stages, it’s already assisted people by providing frozen meals to residents who were sick or self-isolating, rides to medical appointments in Calgary and groceries and prescriptions to citizens.

“We’re not trying to duplicate services, but for people who can’t get to an appointment or suddenly they’re having mental health issues and they don’t know what to do or where to turn we can at least point them in the right direction,” she said. “It’s also about providing contacts for local churches, FCSS, medical health services, domestic violence services, counselling, the food bank and social services. If you’re not sure who to call for a problem it’s nice to have one organization put you in the right direction.”

Brown said eight High Country Helps leads have been established in different areas throughout the five communities. The leads are in charge of volunteers, including the community connectors.

“The connectors in each community keep in touch with neighbours and are referrals to those needing extra attention like seniors living alone, people with health issues and busy frontline workers,” she said. “We’re looking for community connectors who will take on 10 to 20 households and connect with them on a personal level.”

Brown said she’s working on other initiatives to support residents through the COVID-19 pandemic including providing hand sanitizer for frontline workers, gifting care packages with hygiene items to vulnerable residents and having children write encouraging and positive letters to seniors.

To learn more about High Country Helps or to get involved visit https://www.highcountryhelps.com/

Tammy Rollie, OkotoksToday.ca

For updated information, follow our COVID-19 special section for the latest local and national news on the coronavirus pandemic, as well as resources, FAQs and more.

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