Improving the community is something many groups in the city do, and eight of those groups have received funds from the Community Initiatives Fund (CIF), to help them with proceed with their different projects.
A total of $110,400 was presented this week to Yorkton Community Based Organizations (CBOs) from the Community Grant Program and Community Vitality Program. The Boys and Girls Club of Yorkton, Parent and Family Skill Development Committee, Yorkton and District Big Brothers and Big Sisters and Yorkton Mental Health Drop-In Center received funds under the CGP, and the Otthon Community Hall Cooperative Association, St. Joseph's College Alumni Association, Yorkton Exhibition Association and Weinmaster Accessible Play Structure Committee all received funds under the CVP.
Tracey Mann, Executive Director of the CIF says that the purpose of the fund itself is to receive a portion of the net revenues from the casinos in Regina and Moose Jaw, and distribute those revenues into Saskatchewan communities. Province-wide, she says that about $10 million annually is spread throughout the province annually.
"What we really enjoy and what the board is committed to is supporting what is happening on a local community level, particularly either with unincorporated community groups which come together to perform a specific task, or non-profit organizations who deliver so many critical services. We are so proud to support the work that happens at a local level," Mann says.
The goal is to support programs that improve the quality of life in community. She says it's a very broad criteria, but that allows the fund to react to what communities list as a priority. Grant selection is made by a grant adjudication committee in different areas, which Mann says knows the communities, the groups involved, and what the community needs.
That committee makes recommendation to the board of directors, which has the final say in who receives grants.
One of the groups receiving funding is the Yorkton Mental Health Drop-In Centre, which received $10,000 for the Becoming Clubhouse. Kelly Bucsis, programming coordinator for the clubhouse, says that the funds will be going to support the many programs they offer. She says that they currently offer programs for young adults with mental issues, a LGBT support group, and are currently working on a post-partum depression support group.
"The Becoming Clubhouse basically looks for gaps in the community, and tries to fill them with different programming to support. We've had programming that runs a few weeks, and we try to get different supports out there," Bucsis says.
She says that the money will be used to expand the groups that are already there, as well as help establish the new post-partum depression group, which they plan to launch in February 5, with meetings once a month. Bucsis says that this group is an example of what the clubhouse tries to accomplish, since she says there was a need to make a support group in the community for new mothers afflicted with post-partum depression.
Bucsis says the different support groups offered help by teaching coping skills and connecting people with others with the same problems, so people have the supports they need.
