IQALUIT - The Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society now has a permanent office in Iqaluit, according to executive director Annie Quirke. The office officially opened on Oct. 9.

Cyrus Blanchet, outreach minister at St. Jude's Anglican Church in Iqaluit stands on the wheelchair ramp at the soup kitchen on Nov. 13. The Qayuqtuvik (soup kitchen) society received funding from the Rick Hansen Foundation to help offset costs to install the ramp. - Kassina Ryder/NNSL photo

"It means people have a place to call that can support them," Quirke said. "They’ll have a service."

Quirke is currently the only staff member at the Iqaluit office. She said one of the roles of the office will be to help people fill out applications to apply for funding.

It will particularly help Inuktitut-speakers who require assistance filling out forms, according to Quirke.

"For those that would like help, like people who don’t speak English, we can assist them," she said.

Quirke said the office also has a toll-free number so people across the territory can call for free.

The society, which was established in 2005, is an advocacy group for people with disabilities in Nunavut. In 2007, the Rick Hansen Foundation and the Nunavut government pledged $20,000 a year over a five years to assist disabled Nunavummiut, said Theresa Lane, national solutions co-ordinator with the Spinal Cord Injuries Solution Network.

Lane said while some people have been taking advantage of the funding, there is still money available.

"It's something we would like to get more people involved with," she said. "We're trying to let people know that this money is available."

Lane said the money can be used for "basically anything people would need to help improve their quality of life, be more mobile and be more active in their community."

This includes wheelchairs and wheelchair parts, scooters and educational computer software, she said.

Quirke said applications are reviewed by members of the Nunavut Solutions Team, a working group that includes health department staff and Patsy Owlijoot, vice-president of operations with the Nunavut Housing Corp.

"I think it's good," Owlijoot said of the office. "It’s closer to home and it's our own in the territory."

Cyrus Blanchet, outreach minister at St. Jude's Anglican Church in Iqaluit, received money from the Rick Hansen Foundation to help fund a wheelchair ramp at the soup kitchen last year. He said having an office in Iqaluit could give people across the territory better access to funding.

"I think there is the possibility that it would be easier for people in remote communities to access funding if there is an office in Iqaluit," he said. "Especially if there is someone who speaks Inuktitut."