Our Mission
Chéticamp Association for Rights, Education, and Support
We will provide enriching experiences and support people with intellectual, physical, and mental health disabilities. We will strive to enhance each resident and participant’s potential to live, work, and socialize within the community in the least restrictive and most inclusive manner, fostering their growth as contributing members of our community.
Our Values
Inclusion
We strive every day to be a fully inclusive organization, to embrace our differences, and to learn from these unique and individualized experiences.
Professionalism
We aspire to the highest possible standard of professional conduct and personal integrity.
Respect
We respect the rights of our residents and participants of the Green Door, including the right to privacy, choice, and self-determination. We respect all individuals, ideas, and opinions.
Integrity
Every employee and/or volunteer within our organization aspires to be fully transparent, confidential, reliable, and supportive in our endeavour to provide the best quality of life for our residents and participants.
Collaboration
We will continue to foster good relationships with our residents, participants of the Green Door along with their advocates. We will seek to establish and maintain strong partnerships with stakeholders in our community and beyond to achieve our mission.
History
CARES has a long history of offering services to people living with disabilities, right in the heart of the Acadian village known as Chéticamp.
The Cheticamp Activity Centre moved its operations from the local Fire Hall to its current location at 15108 Cabot Trail Road. Formerly known as “l’Ecole Noir”, the Diocese initially owned this building but sold it to “Le Club des Retraites” in 1978. A closing condition of this purchase of sale was that CARES would be allowed to use a room in the building, indefinitely. The name, ‘The Green Door’ was shortly born and proudly named by Pauline Dunn. For years, we have always fostered a sense of belonging, friendships, skill building, and employment services.
Our third community home, La Cap Rouge, opened in 1997 and is home to 4 residents. The name was generated after musician Andre Aucoin released the song ‘Le Cap Rougien,’ a song remembering the former community of Cap Rouge, located within what is now the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The song reflects the memories of those families and their move to the village of Cheticamp.
Formerly known as “The Cheticamp Association for Community Living” since 1991, the name “CARES” emerged standing for “Cheticamp Area Residential and Educational Society.” In 2026, CARES went through another transformation with its name, as the Board of Directors felt that the word ‘Residential’ belongs to our Indigenous neighbours and their traumatic history with Residential Schools. As a result, CARES became “Cheticamp Association for Rights, Education and Support” in February 2026.
The Board of Directors hired a consultant to assist the organization with policies, board governance, and an internal transformation that would assist the organization in positioning themselves for greater sustainability and future plans of expanding its services.
To align with the Human Rights Remedy, CARES started to make changes to downsize its operations at Le Chemoi. We are currently at occupancy for 5 residents with the goal of being down to 4 residents by March 2028.
In June 2025, CARES Board of Directors hired a consultant to assist with a housing expansion project they had been discussing for several years now. With a purchase of sale agreement recently signed, CARES is actively working on securing funding to offer affordable housing, including Independent Living Support.
A big year to celebrate highlighting our new name change, 50 years since The Green Door relocated, and 40 years of Le Chemoi opened.
Strategic Priorities
1. RESIDENTS AND PARTICIPANTS WELLBEING
- Inform residents, participants, guardians, stakeholders, and the community of the Human Rights Remedy as set out by the province of Nova Scotia.
- Follow the directives of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Remedy.
2. RISK MANAGEMENT
- Fiscal risk management
- Operational risk management
- Data risk management
- Capital risk management
- Contingency planning
- Succession planning
3. EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Explore funding possibilities and PD opportunities for the staff, leadership team, and volunteers.
- Mini professional development during staff meetings.
4. RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT
- Explore strategies for:
- Employee retention
- Recruitment of new employees
- Recruitment of Board members
- Adopt better onboarding process for board and staff
5. ORGANIZATION AWARENESS
- Increase public knowledge of who we are and what we do
- Rebrand C.A.R.E.S.
- Ensure the website is updated as things change, update photos, and have someone internally learn how to manage the website
- Establish a Foundation
Donate to CARES
Your donation helps create real, lasting change in the lives of people with disabilities. Every contribution—no matter the size—supports essential programs and opportunities for greater inclusion. By giving, you’re not just making a donation; you’re helping individuals thrive in their community.
