PHARA Announces New Name: PHARA Community Services
For 50 years, the Physically Handicapped Adults’ Rehabilitation Association (PHARA) has been providing services that promote independence, health and housing services in North Bay and surrounding area. In celebration of their 51st year the organization is now formally known as PHARA Community Services.
Over the past several years, from listening to our community and from the direction of PHARA’s Board of Directors, it was recognized that a name change was needed in order to reflect the updated vision, mission, and goals of the organization.
“The name change has been long overdue,” said Mike Van der Vlist, CEO of PHARA. “The community recognized this, and we listened. Our new name removes the word handicapped, a word that in today’s world is inappropriate as we strive for an inclusive environment providing health and housing services.”
In addition to providing much-needed affordable housing, PHARA Community Services has a mandate to enhance quality of life and independence for individuals with disabilities, or those facing the effects of aging. Through rehabilitative and recreational programs, skills training, and advocacy, it promotes physical, mental, and emotional well-being while addressing daily needs and fostering lifelong independence and community inclusion.
“It takes time to change an organization’s legal name, especially when you’re a non-profit organization that has such deep roots in the community. There is a great deal of consideration that must go into the new name, not to mention the formal paperwork that must be filed and approved,” said Matt Duquette, Board Chair of PHARA. “I’m proud of Mike and his team for making this a priority and for making it happen. It sets the foundation for another 50 years of great PHARA Community Services.”
As stated in their Vision – A world where everyone lives in their home. A world where everyone lives their independent life – it is through the efforts of PHARA and their work with partners, government, and people around North Bay and Nipissing that they are able to enhance opportunities for independence.
“Over the past year and a bit, PHARA Community Services provided over 49,000 days of housing, expanded multiple health services, renovated our Stroke rehabilitation center, advanced our Assisted Devices program, became accredited, and won multiple awards” said Van der Vlist. “There have been some great advancements at PHARA, and they have all been possible thanks to our amazing team whose opinion earned us a Best Workplace in Canada recognition in 2024.”
For more information about PHARA, including how to donate to support their services, please visit www.phara.org.
Additional
PHARA is comprised of two legal organizational entities:
Organization 1: Representing Nipissing Parry Sound is known as PHARA Community Services / Services communautaires PHARA
Organization 2: Representing Westwind Heights is known as PHARA Community Services WH / Services communautaires PHARA WH
PHARA purposes are:
To relieve conditions associated with a lack of housing through providing residential accommodations, including specially adapted accommodation, financially assisted accommodation, incidental facilities, and support to individuals, couples, and families.
To enhance quality of life by providing trained personnel and specialized services that assist in the daily activities for those with a disability and/or facing the effects of aging.
To enhance quality of life by providing rehabilitative and recreational programs to support the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of those with a disability and/or facing the effects of aging.
To enhance quality of life by providing skills training, advocacy, supportive services to those with a disability and/or facing the effects of aging.
To enhance individual independence throughout a lifetime to those with a disability and/or facing the effects of aging.
On October 17, 2024, the team at PHARA showed their support for National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The blue light was part of the Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN) campaign to shine a light on job seekers who have a disability.