Continuity Care is a not-for- profit organization dedicated to supporting families in Manitoba to plan for an enriched quality of life for their family member with an intellectual disability. We help families achieve peace of mind by planning for the future and creating connections that last a lifetime.

As a community-based, non-profit organization, we work in partnership with families, communities, government and service providers to effectively and compassionately assist people with disabilities and their families who might be asking, “What will happen to my child after I’m gone?”

Families are strong and resourceful, but many still need support in planning for the long-term security and well-being of their family member. We provide families with individualized support and assistance with planning, problem solving, navigating the social service system, advocacy and connecting to community resources specific to each family and their unique set of circumstances.

“My first goal was to educate Justine and give her a decent life; the second was to prepare the supports for the time when my husband and I have passed away. Continuity Care is an integral part of these supports.”

– Helen, a Continuity Care founding member and parent.

Mission & History

Continuity Care was formed in 1995 in Winnipeg by a group of dedicated parents, siblings and citizens to fulfill our mission of “supporting families in Manitoba to plan for an enriched quality of life for their family member with an intellectual disability”.

Founding members share stories about the various conversations that sparked the creation of the organization: informal meetings around the kitchen table at Helen Steinkopf’s home, in the parking lot of ACL Selkirk, and during Parent-to-Parent support group meetings offered by ACL Winnipeg.

In 1996, Continuity Care incorporated and registered as a Canadian charity. Our first office was located at the Robert A. Steen Community Center at 980 Palmerston and we moved in 2002 to our current location at 120 Maryland Street. Bob Manwaring, a parent involved in the early founding conversations, was hired as Continuity Care’s first Executive Director and began helping families that same year.

How we work

Continuity Care does not rely on government funding. This was important to the founding board members, as they wanted to remain autonomous to provide advocacy to families when needed. Our main source of funding is our Endowment Fund, established through The Winnipeg Foundation in 1998 to sustain the core operation of the organization in perpetuity. The Endowment Fund currently does not cover all of our yearly operating costs.

We have continued to work hard on additional fundraising campaigns, such as the “Help Us Grow” tomato plant sales, and since 2010, we have been fortunate to be partners in The Mike Keane Celebrity Hockey Classic.

We also seek out grant opportunities for various projects from a variety of sources, such as The Winnipeg Foundation, New Horizons, Manitoba Community Services Council, and The Cardinal Foundation. Donations that we receive are also directed towards our programming and operating expenses.

Continuity Care currently has about 200 members and our mailing list includes more than 740 individuals, families and organizations from across Manitoba, as well as a few from other provinces and even one from the U.S.

In September 2016, we celebrated our 20 th anniversary at the Qualico Family Centre at Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg. It was a warm, sunny fall day and a lovely venue for this momentous occasion. More than 75 people from the Continuity Care community joined us, including current and former board members, staff, lifetime and current members, community partners, colleagues, and friends.

The Accessibility for Manitobans Act

At Continuity Care, we are committed to complying with The Accessibility for Manitobans Act. Our policies, practices, and measures with regard to accessibility for all reflect the New Directions values of integrity, honour, holism and respect.

The following commitments are intended to meet the requirements of the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service and provide equal opportunity for all individuals, including people with disabilities both visible and invisible:

• Meeting communication needs;
• Accommodating the use of assistive devices;
• Welcoming support persons;
• Allowing service animals;
• Maintaining accessibility features;
• Letting the public know when and why an accessibility feature is unavailable;
• Welcoming and responding promptly to feedback;
• Providing the required training to staff, management, students, and volunteers; and
• Keeping a written record of accessibility and training policies.

Continuity Care welcomes and responds promptly to feedback we receive on the accessibility of our services and facilities. We invite feedback, questions, and requests for policies or documentation to be sent to info@continuitycare.ca  Emails that indicate feedback on an accessibility matter will be prioritized.