2023 a year of wins for Green Acres foundation
The Green Acres Foundation updated the City of Lethbridge Standing Policy Committee on its 2023 numbers Thursday.
With financial information, staff and resident satisfaction and other success stories, Green Acres says 2023 was a year full of wins.
Dawna Coslovi, CEO of Green Acres Foundation says these wins stem from the fact that her organization does everything in its power to ensure residents feel safe.
“Today’s world is changing and for seniors, security is such an important thing. They need to feel secure,” said Coslovi. “As people age, they get a little more frightened.”
A resident survey provided by Green Acres shows 98 per cent of respondents feel safe in their selected location. Furthermore, high 90s were recorded for satisfaction in cleanliness and staff behaviour.
On the employee side, 378 people worked for Green Acres in 2023, with an additional 2500 hours of volunteer work provided.
“Our staff cost last year was nearly $18 million, making it the biggest expense of course,” said Coslovi.
Most of the staff members were either healthcare workers or kitchen staff.
Green Acres also spent over $2 million on maintenance at their various facilities during the previous year.
“We believe that we need to maintain our facilities to the satisfaction of our residents because there is no sense having a facility, build it and just let it go.”
Coslovi says about seven per cent of their revenue comes from taxpayers, with Lethbridge residents footing 70 per cent of that. However, she indicated the largest share of Green Acres’ funding comes from the residents who live there.
“Most of our revenue comes from rent,” said Coslovi.
That rent is kept at $700 on average for a resident living in a lodge. This is just two dollars more than the cost to actually house each resident every month.
“We want to be able to proudly say we’re here to provide affordable housing for seniors.”
Jeff Carlson, chair of the Green Acres board of directors and city councillor, says the organization is seeing a high number of people wishing to move in.
“Our apartments and our cottages, those types of facilities, are always full. We, in fact, (have) wait lists,” said Carlson.
He says these wait lists are only in certain areas and Green Acres still has space for seniors to move in immediately.
“We can put you in tomorrow, but it won’t be your choice of place,” said Carlson. “If (I) want to move in tomorrow but I want a south-facing view in Pemmican Lodge, it’s not available. But if you were OK with a north-facing in Garden View – tomorrow.”
Furthermore, Coslovi reaffirms there is no barrier to seniors when it comes to financial status.
“We can house anyone from any different income levels,” said Coslovi.
Even with this goal, housing is not cheap and with rising pricing, Carlson says they try to make do without increasing the burden on taxpayers.
“We try to collect around the same percentage every year,” said Carlson. “I think the board has been fairly consistent in doing an appropriate amount, but not an exorbitant amount in one fell swoop.”
Last year, Green Acres Foundation received $6.67 million in capital grant funding.
Justin Sibbet, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lethbridge Herald
