It has been a busy year for Fred Sandeski, Director of the Community Low Income Centre.

"We are an advocate service, we provide services to people that are falling through the cracks, people that are having trouble with a lot of government agencies, having trouble with the policies and whats available to them," said Sandeski. and went on to share, "we try to find as much we can to help them out."

CLIC provides:

  • Free legal aid
  • Budget counselling 
  • Trustee program and Budgeting classes - helping people maintain a savings account and work towards goals
  • Employment counselling
  • Housing registry
  • Social service advocate and housing advocate
  • Free Tax return services
  • Referrals to other agencies/organizations

CLIC has completed 200 tax returns this year alone for those who cannot afford to pay other tax services or the ability to do it themselves.

Sandeski started CLIC thirteen years ago to help people on social assistance. The services provided have multiplied and evolved over the years.

They have helped 80-90 people through the legal services.

People in Meadow Lake and Yorkton have phoned for assistance, even as far away as British Columbia.

"We don't have any government funding whatsoever and it's all strictly donations, we just work on a very tight budget, everything is by donations only, we just try and make out as we can. Canadian mental health has been very, very good to us with providing us with office space," said Sandeski who does not draw much of a salary for his work from CLIC.

Community Low Income Centre costs around $10,000 a year which covers the basic office and admin costs and rely only on community donations. 

Sandeski also refurbishes and sells computers to low-income families at cost. People from the community donate used computers and he rebuilds them.

Sandeski is a severe diabetic, had open heart surgery two years ago and has COPD and needs Oxygen to get around. He has also received a motorized scooter, donated to him by the Weyburn United Way to help him get to the bank and other places as part of his work.

Sandeski is grateful for the support CLIC has received over the years from the people of Weyburn.  

The best way to donate is to take donations directly to Community Low Income Centre located at 404 Ashford St.

If anyone would like to be trained to assist with the work they can contact CLIC directly.