The No Limits centre in Portlaoise is desperately trying to raise €20,000 to keep its services running after a promise of private funding fell through at the last minute.
“Our accounts are empty, our bills are mounting and we are extremely reluctant but facing the fact of having to seriously scale things back,” said the centre founder, Nicola Coss.
“However the demand for our specialised service continues to increase and therefore to try and avoid having to stop anything. We are desperately looking to raise €20,000 to help us find a more suitable home to provide our services and much more, to those with disabilities undiagnosed and diagnosed, a figure doubling every year especially for those with Autism,” Ms Coss said.
“That figure is really only the half of it, for what is needed to keep our services going. It is going to take a long time, but little by little we will get there,” she said.
“Our future and more importantly that of our Special Needs Preschool is now in serious jeopardy due to a private promised investment to our organisation, not materialising at the last minute and other crippling costs hidden from us when taking on the new building,” Ms Coss said.
This promised funding fell through after an investment failed to materialise.
Ms Coss described the No Limits Ability Centre as a unique non-for profit facility, providing customised programmes for all children & young adults with special needs, helping to improve their cognitive, social, communicational and motor skills through play and person centred learning.
“We also provide work experience for young adults with autism, many of whom were past member of our camps. Open six days a week, for clients with physical, intellectual and sensory challenges since July 2014, in that time we’ve provided services and much needed respite for their respective families for over 7,583 participants and growing,” she said.
“However, we remain totally committed in our quest to open a unique Special Needs Preschool and move forward with our plans to roll out our workshops nationwide, but none of this is possible without investment
“In the past three years we’ve always be self-sufficient, using the nominal admission fees to pay bills and never looked for the public’s help but it’s time to swallow our pride and do just that,” Ms Coss said.
“Run entirely by professional volunteers, we maintain professional accounts and have consistently invested in our loyal volunteers to ensure that their childcare qualifications are up to date.
Empowered
“We have empowered and trained those same volunteers to become SNAs and ploughed everything we make into providing our services. Something however we aren’t and never wish to be is just another advocacy group. We’ve zero interest in lobbying politicians or the health service, we are fully committed to providing our special needs preschool, special needs afterschool service, midterm and summer camps and respite for parents and guardians just not available elsewhere,” Ms Coss said.
Fundraising has now begun in earnest and Stewart Quinn of local group the Valves is going to do a fundraiser with the Holy Family School.
The centre is currently taking bookings for both mainstream and special needs students.
It will be running a summer camp programme in Mountrath. Ms Coss said people can support their centre by booking these services, an in turn get something back themselves.
A Go Fund Me campaign has been launched. You can donate directly on that page here or contact Nicola Coss on 087 7497826.
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