KidsAbility to get $300K annual funding boost

KidsAbility, an agency that helps young children with special needs in Waterloo Region, is celebrating a funding increase fromthe provincial government.

The agency will now be getting an additional $310,000 a year, on top of about $7 million annually it already receives from the provincial government.TracyMacCharles, the Minister of Children and Youth Services, also announced aonetimegrant of $62,500 toKidsAbility. The same amount will also be given toeach of the other 19 children's development centres in Ontario.

Linda Kenny, the CEO ofKidsAbility, says that funding will help the agency offer assistanceto more children.

"Will $300,000solve all the demands we have on our services? The answer to that would have to be 'no'. Does it make a difference in terms of us being able to chip away at that wait list? Yes, it does," she said.

Kenny says KidsAbility has about 900 children waiting for its services.Most only wait for a few months, but those with high needs can wait for years before being served. The average age of a child on the wait list is around 3yearsold.

KidsAbility offers help to children with developmental disabilities, like Down syndrome and autism, andphysical disabilities, like muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy.

Kenney says her staff will now be able to help 100 morechildren with the extra funding.