The Coalition of Persons with Disabilities is making one last bid to stay afloat, despite losing funding from both the federal and provincial governments.

Members of the non-profit group voted on Thursday night to accept a suggestion from supporter Ron Ellsworth, a businessman and former St. John's city councillor, who said COD did not need to immediately approve a motion to shut its doors.

"My amendment to the motion would be we move to vacate this place as soon as possible," said Ellsworth, who said the non-profit service organization should search for alternate accommodations it can afford on a budget of $600 a month.

"Then [we should] try and develop a long term strategy or plan because next year we're going to have less funding and the next less again."

The decision came after the organization's leadership said it had exhausted its options to retain its space in a strip mall on Hamlyn Road, in the west end of St. John's.

"We haven't sat here and just thought, 'Oh, we don't have any money.' We have peddled our souls," president Michelle Murdoch said.

Some members who attended the meeting were filled with emotion.

"I hope the people who made the decision to cut our funding on both levels of government, irregardless of [their] party, hang their head tonight in shame," said Cec Whitten, adding that disabled persons could lose a public voice.

"That's the question, who speaks for the disabled community now if COD dissolves."

The current plan, though, is contingent on COD being able to get out of its five-year lease, not to mention finding cheaper space.