Even a small snowfall could make prisoners out of eight people who have severe physical disabilities.
Someone stole the snow blower belonging to the Salt Lake Transitional Living Center near 2800 South and 500 East. All of the tenants use wheelchairs, and the snow blower is essential to clear the ramps so they can enter and leave their apartments.The eight-unit apartment complex is a rarity in Salt Lake City. Operated by the Salt Lake Community Services Council, it provides low-income accessible housing to people in wheelchairs while they learn the skills they will need to live independently. Most tenants live there about 18 months. Since it opened, not one tenant leaving the center with new skills has had to go into a nursing home. Without the training and the low-cost housing, nursing homes might be their only option.
"The whole goal of living here is to gain independence," said Joanne de Biasi-Nollenberg, who works with the transitional center. "To be independent, they have to be able to leave the house."
The theft also creates a major safety hazard for the residents. If there was a fire, they would not be able to leave their apartments, de Biasi-Nollenberg said. And daily living assistants and home-health staff can't get in to provide services or assistance.
The snow blower is also used to clear the parking lot of the Utah Food Bank, also operated by Community Services Council.
De Biasi-Nollenberg hopes that whoever took the snow blower will get a stab of conscience and return it. If that doesn't happen, she hopes someone will donate a snow blower to the living center. Anyone who wants to help can call her at 486-2136.