United Way Central Alberta recently announced $1 million in funding to support 22 projects in Central Alberta through the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund.
Communities to benefit include Bashaw, Lacombe, Stettler, Wetaskiwin, Ponoka and Red Deer.
“Community service organizations are at the forefront of addressing communities’ needs,” stated a news release.
“Since the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have struggled with increased demand for their services, reduced revenues, declines in charitable giving due to the rising cost of living, and a greater need to make use of digital tools.”
The fund is a one-time investment of $400 million to assist community service providers to recover from the pandemic and adapt to changing needs in Central Alberta.
Some of the projects that received support through the recovery fund include:
• $63,000 to fund Bashaw and District Support Services Association towards a regional wellness initiative;
• $75,704 to fund Boys and Girls Club of Red Deer towards program service innovation;
• $9,036 to fund Mary C Moore Public Library towards Kinsmen Program Room Makerspace;
• $16,135 to fund Ponoka Youth Centre towards mental health support;
• $9,714 to fund Red Deer Public Library towards their Youth and Literacy Program;
• $21,296 to fund Stettler Community Support Centre towards community outreach;
• $81,600 to fund Stettler Information and Referral Centre towards Stettler Circle of Services innovation and expansion; and
• $85,970 to fund Wetaskiwin and District Association for Community Services towards re-building community and personal engagement.
The Government of Canada is delivering the CSRF through three national funders: (Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada, and United Way Centraide Canada). The national funders are distributing funding to eligible community service organizations.
“The value United Way Central Alberta adds as a locally governed and operated funder is that we have the trusted systems in place to identify local needs and ensure dollars are invested where they are needed most,” said United Way Central Alberta CEO Chelsea O’Donoghue.