92,000 people benefit from community programs: York Region chairperson
YorkRegion.com
April 22, 2014
By Chris Traber
More than 92,000 York Region residents benefitted from community programs and services funded through its community investment strategy, chairperson Bill Fisch said last Thursday.
The strategy provided $5.8 million to 46 agencies and 87 projects for low and moderate-income York Region residents in 2013, Mr. Fisch said.
These results build on more than a decade of vital funding provided through this initiative and residents will continue to benefit from York Region’s investment in community agencies in 2014, he added.
The strategy funds projects aligned with regional priorities and complements services provided by York Region’s community and health services department.
The strategy supports community agencies under three funding streams: community-based services, innovation and collaboration and organizational development.
Investments made in 2013 met a variety of resident needs through projects, including:
- Future Possibilities Canada, through its Connecting Kids and Communities project, helped children eight to 14 with goal setting, teamwork skills and community involvement. The project inspired and motivated more than 550 children to make a difference in their communities.
- he Out of the Cold program provided a rotating emergency homelessness shelter six nights per week. More than 500 homeless people were provided warm beds, meals, clothing and health care during the winter months.
- The Smart Eating Program offered by Family Lifestyle Community Services educated more than 600 residents from Asian families on nutrition and healthy food preparation practices in Canada.
- The York Region Centre for Community Safety, a new collaboration project, includes 23 agencies in a multi-service centre to deliver co-ordinated supports to victims of family violence in one location, serving 63 residents in 2013.
“Strong community agencies are crucial to the healthy growth of a region as large and diverse as ours,” Markham Deputy Mayor and community and health services chairperson Jack Heath said.
The ongoing collaboration between York Region and local community agencies will ensure the right services are available at the right time for those who need them most, Mr. Heath said.
A summary of the 2013 community investment strategy projects is available online at york.ca
The region is now accepting applications until May 8, 2014 for 2015 funding projects at york.ca/cis
