Yorkton & District Community Foundation has announced the grants awarded to local projects in round two of the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF). A total of $105,000 was delivered in rounds one and two for projects that support populations experiencing heightened vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June and July six projects received grants totaling $75,000. In round two the Yorkton & District Community Foundation (YDCF) in partnership with Community Foundations of Canada and the Government of Canada has distributed another $30,000 to support the following:
Big Brothers Big Sisters (Yorkton area) received $10,752 to support safe winter activities and the virtual mentorship program for youth;
Godfrey Dean Art Gallery was granted $3,800 for a virtual learning studio with online programming capacity beginning with an art program for First Nations children and a second program for children on the autism spectrum;
Kamsack Family Resource Centre - SIGN received $664 to purchase a freezer to support their food rescue program to address increased food insecurity since the pandemic;
Kids First Area 12 - Good Spirit School Division was granted $9,690 to provide the necessities of life to assist 10 new mothers, chosen from the service area and whose income was negatively impacted by COVID-19;
Acquired Brain Injury Program - SIGN received $500 for self-care packages for isolated brain injury survivors experiencing interrupted support services due to the pandemic;
Yorkton Family Resource Centre - SIGN received $4,594 for mobile shelving and equipment to create moveable learning pods to facilitate social distancing for the Early Years program.
“It is heartwarming to see the creative ways that community groups and charities are finding to help people through, what continues to be, a very difficult time, “ says Sharon Tropin, coordinator of the ECSF grants program for the Yorkton & District Community Foundation.
In round two Yorkton & District Community Foundation received $81,188 in requests and Tropin says that there are projects that could still use community support.
“I would encourage people to continue to give to local charities when able, either directly or by contacting the Yorkton & District Community Foundation to find out how you can help,” says Tropin. “If there is anything the pandemic has taught us it is that our community finds ways to protect and support each other, even when it must be done from a distance.”
The complete list of grant recipients and the projects supported by the grants can be found on the Yorkton & District Community Foundation website.
