Airdrie will be the newest home for one of the branches of the not-for-profit, charitable organization, the Foothills Advocacy in Motion Society (FAIM).

FAIM's goal is to be committed to supporting adults with developmental disabilities on their journey to an enriching and fulfilling life.

"We provide a range of supports from employment, day services programming, to home living support," stated Andi Gawin the Director of Client Services for FAIM.

FAIM also offers an opportunity for individuals that they are serving, to live with a supportive roommate who can help them learn independent living skills. FAIM also has an outreach program so if adults with developmental disabilities are living on their own, one of the FAIM workers will help with things like budgeting, appointments, grocery shopping and other daily tasks like that.

Arlene Ridgeway, Branch Manager for Airdrie talked about why they have decided to open a branch in Airdrie.

"We were approached five years ago by a family that lived in Airdrie with an adult daughter with a developmental disability. For a long time, families were having to access services in Calgary and they finally began to realize the growth in Airdrie dictated that we needed to bring in an agency like us for Airdrie."

According to Ridgeway, around 20 families would leave Airdrie to find the services that they needed.

"One of the reasons we've been asked to move into Airdrie is because our reputation in the rural communities that we currently serve has been very well received. We're becoming a very well-known face of the community and our clients especially. Having those individuals being integrated into the community, being part of their community and being a valued part of their community, I would say is something that we've strived for as an agency," stated Gawin.

FAIM also helps adults with developmental issues find jobs. For example, they have a partnership with the Canadian Diabetes Association where they will hire said adults and they would go around and collect all the donated clothes and the donation bins and make a living off of it. 

Ridgeway made it clear that the programming they provide, isn't something that is set in place, they make a program around the adult's needs and go from there.

While not officially open, FAIM will be holding an open house on Wednesday, May 15 from (1 p.m. until 4 p.m.) where they will share information about the services they provide. Their grand opening of the Airdrie location is June 3 at 203 28 Gateway Drive NE. To access the services of FAIM, the adult must be "Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD)" funded.

"There are people that probably could qualify for PDD funding, and just for whatever reason never knew it existed."

FAIM, which has been around since 1980 also has locations at High River, Strathmore and Okotoks.

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