Family Respite Services Windsor - Essex

Congratulations to Ethel Walsh, ticket number 0760 for winning the Bluewater Backyard contest!

Family Respite Services works with 1200 families caring for children with disabilities.

Families rely on respite programs so that children with Autism, Down Syndrome, other Developmental Disabilities, Children with Medical Health Challenges, Children with Physical Disabilities and Children with Mental Health Disorders can engage in meaningful activities.

We are hoping that you can help during this upcoming holiday season with a donation box at your business?

Family Respite will provide a donation box, signage and paper ornaments.

Would you be willing to put up a tree or tape the paper ornaments on a wall? If not, customers who make a donation in the donation box can take the paper ornament home with them.

Family Respite will collect donations on a weekly basis throughout November and December.

Every dollar makes an impact, especially at this challenging time.

Donations will go directly to families who are caring for children with significant challenges in our community, can you respond to this urgent respite need?

Thanks on behalf of the children in our community.

Please connect with Alexandria Fischer 519-818-6973 info@familyrespite.org

We take the health and safety of the families and children that we serve and the staff who work for FRS very seriously.  As our community has moved into the Gray Zone/lockdown designation related to Covid-19, we will observe all safety protocols that have been recommended or mandated by the Ontario Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and our local Health Unit.

• Family Respite Services remains open to support families and children in our community.
• Our office is closed except for essential visitors.
• Please email or fax invoices and timesheets.
• Our Family Coordinators will continue to work a combined approach of working from home and in the office.  They will receive and respond to emails and phone messages from both locations.
• We continue to assist families to apply for, and administer, Special Services at Home and respite supports and recruit in home support providers.
• In home respite continues at the discretion of parents.
• All families and Direct Support Providers must complete self -assessment for any Covid-19 risk factors prior to each face-to-face meeting, always wear a mask and hand sanitize.  We ask families and Direct Support Providers to do low risk activities (e.g. walking outside) and minimize time in the car together with the child/youth and Direct Support Provider.
• Limited services continue at our staffed respite homes, with no overnight services.
• Virtual supports also continue for some children as arranged with families.
• There are no in-home visits or out of home respite at our Spago residence.
• Our community center-based supports are suspended.

Our office will be closed between December 25 and January 1, but staff will be responding to any urgent matters.