After nearly 50 years of operation, London's Block Parent program is shutting down.
The announcement came Monday from George Stephens, chair of the London Block Parent Program.
"Our application to the City of London’s Community Grants Program for 2017 – 2019 was not successful," Stephens said in the statement. "As the City of London has been as our main funder, we needed to explore new funding opportunities. The Board of Directors and staff considered a number of options to continue our programming, including partnerships with other organizations, but after careful examination we realized we would not have the stability required to continue our programs and services."
At its peak, Block Parent had thousands of homes in London offering refuge to children. But, according to Stephens, the need for the service has declined over the past decade.
"We are extremely grateful for the many who have volunteered their time and their homes to keeping children safe," Stephens said. "We have incredible volunteers, some who have been with us for more than 30 years. We are also thankful to our many community partners who have played a role in ensuring the safety of children over the years."
In the statement released Monday, Stephens thanks the London community for its support and for "helping to keep our children and neighbourhoods safe!"
