THE Center for Living Independently on Capital Hill has acquired a wheelchair-accessible van, CLI Executive Director Susan Satur said.
CLI was able to purchase the van through a $107,000 local appropriation from the Saipan and Northern Islands Delegation, she added.
“With the new van we can serve two consumers who have wheelchair needs [each trip],” Satur said.
The center has 170 consumers including homebound individuals, she added.
“Because we have so many [consumers], we have to break them up in groups for center access,” Satur said. “Monday and Wednesday we have one group of consumers; Tuesday and Thursday another group of consumers. Monday to Thursday are training days. Everybody that comes in has a goal and everybody’s goals are different…Some of them want to learn how to cook, which are the ones in the kitchen, some of them want to learn how to keep a house, among other goals. Every Friday everyone gets together and we have socializations. We play games outside and perform different kinds of activities.”
Satur said they “wrote a proposal to [the Saipan and Northern Islands Delegation] and they honored us. Actually we asked for more, but they’re only able to give us $107,000 which we are most grateful for, and we were able to purchase the van.”
She said CLI transports consumers to and from the center, and coordinates with the Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority for commuting consumers at a cost of $3 per pickup.
“We are hoping that the new van will lighten up the costing load of paying COTA for transportation,” Satur added. “We also have other activities — we go to the movies and we go around the island, and these activities we could not do unless we coordinate [them] with COTA, and again there will be additional charges. With the new van we will be able to take consumers to wherever they want to go, like to do shopping — consumers are the ones doing the shopping. So now, we will be able to take those consumers in wheelchairs to go with us.”
As for the 15-seat van CLI purchased two years ago, Satur said it is now “at full capacity.”
At the center, Satur works with CLI staffers Matilde Selepeo, Zack Peter, Devonne Sablan, and Tiana Pellegrino.
“We would love to have more staffers because of the number of consumers. Unfortunately, our funding is limited so we do what we can right now, and it’s very difficult,” Satur said.
But she noted that CLI was also provided a new building, which is being renovated right beside the current center.
“The new building will be turned over to us in December,” Satur said.
CLI’s mission is “to ensure the rights of people with disabilities to live independently and to be fully integrated in the community.”
CLI’s vision is to “provide a comprehensive range of services, which make it possible for people with disabilities to live as independently as they choose in our community.”
Center for Living Independently-CNMI Executive Director Susan Satur with staffers Matilde Selepeo, Zack Peter, Devonne Sablan and Tiana Pellegrino pose beside a newly purchased van. Also in photo are some of CLI’s consumers.
