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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Lee Krasilowez (403) 527-9038
lee@cfsea.ca
www.cfsea.ca
Because we can help people, one Vital Impact Grant at a time.
Medicine Hat, Alberta (May 11th, 2015) – The Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta (CFSEA)
will grant $39,000 to multiple community organizations through the Vital Impact grant program. The
grant recipients are as follows: Medicine Hat Early Childhood Development Coalition – Roving Gyms,
Medicine Hat Public Library – Tic Tac Teen & Post Teen Program, Shortgrass Library System- Teen
Programming, Catholic School District - Fresh Start to School, Medicine Hat & District Food Bank – Food
First Program.
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$8,000 - Roving Gyms Program - Early Childhood Development Coalition
$10,000 - Fresh Start to School – Catholic School District
$3,000 – Tic Tac Teen Program – Medicine Hat Public Library
$1,500 – Post Teen Program – Medicine Hat Public Library
$1,500 – Teen Programming - Shortgrass Library System (Bow Island)
$15,000 - Food First Pilot - Medicine Hat and District Food Bank.
The CFSEA launched the Vital Impact Grant Program in 2012, funded by the Smart and Caring
Endowment Fund. The CFSEA’s Community Leadership Committee guides this proactive grant program,
by addressing identifiable community issues and needs that are brought to light in the Medicine Hat
Vital Signs® 2014 publication. The grant program was established to fund initiatives that build capacity
in the community and strengthen community leadership, while fostering a cooperative, collaborative
and innovative environment to address community issues.
As a result of improved performance in the financial markets, the Board of Directors at the CFSEA
approved an increase in the dollars allocated to Vital Impact grants, bringing the 2015 total to $39,000.
Volunteers on the Community Leadership Committee proactively researched many charitable
organizations, carefully analyzing their needs to determine how the money would be utilized most
effectively.
In 2012, one of the inaugural grants went to fund the ‘Poverty Reduction Roundtables’ research report
“Moving From Charity to Investment: Reducing the Cost of Poverty in Medicine Hat” and the learnings
from the report continue to guide decision making. The Community Foundation is pleased to announce
six 2015 Vital Impact grant recipients that address three out of six areas identified within the Poverty
Reduction report– Education, Recreation, and Food security:
Medicine Hat Early Childhood Coalition – Roving Gyms ($8000).
Medicine Hat Early Childhood Coalition - Roving Gym ($8000). Roving Gyms provides a play space and
social setting for children ages 0-6 and their parents. Roving gyms helps parents to build a sense of
community and belonging while their children take part in fundamental development through play.
After a successful second season, Roving Gyms has expanded their programming to include Wednesdays
at the YMCA in Southridge, allowing for a wider variety of family access. On average the program
supports 43 families, which is a 43% increase in attendance from the first year.
Food Bank – Food First Pilot ($15,000). The Food Bank is piloting a specialized project that aims to make
10 low income families food secure within 1 year. The carefully selected families will receive equipment,
resources and education to achieve improved food security. Families will be able to demonstrate greater
knowledge about food safety, preparation, preservation, hygiene in the kitchen, nutrition, whole foods,
meal planning, budgeting, and more. The goals of this project include 1) A Reduction in the use of
emergency food services for pilot families 2) Demonstration of a greater sense of knowledge around
Food security for pilot families 3) Teachers of pilot students will report that they are seeing greater focus
in the classroom.
Fresh Start to School ($10,000). A one day event (serving all 3 School Districts, to be held at the end of
August) where parents and children are invited to access a wide range of health, school administration,
recreational and personal care services to help prepare for the 2015/2016 school year. The focus of this
event is on “wellness” and connecting children and families to partners in the community so they access
resources, as well as pick up some necessities to ease the financial burden of the back to school season.
The group plans to help 250 preselected children and youth in the first year.
Medicine Hat Public Library – Tic Tac Teen Program ($3000). Youth gather weekly to join in activities
such as medieval tournaments with jousting and costumes, improvisation, pirate ship racing and anime
evenings. Tic Tac gatherings provide youth with a safe and fun environment that promotes teamwork
and camaraderie. “It allows us to have a space where we can have fun and be accepted” said one
member of the Tic Tac group.
Medicine Hat Public Library – Post Teens Program ($1500). As a result of the successful Tic Tac teen
program, the Library has developed a well-attended ‘Post Teens Program’ that is offered to those who
have graduated from the Tic Tac program. Medicine Hat Public Library provides a critically needed safe
and exciting space for this sector of our community. The Post Teen program speaks to the needs and
priorities of this demographic, while giving them a space to mature and develop their interests and meet
their social needs.
Shortgrass Library – Teen Programming Kits ($1500). The concept is simple: package everything
required to run a successful teen program into a plastic tote and make it available to member library
staff. If a library would like to run a teen program they simply request the kit.
“The Foundation is very excited support these programs and the work of the Community Leadership
Committee is an integral part our role in the community,” said R.W. Rick Redmond, Chair of the
Community Leadership Committee. “The task of the Vital Signs program does not just stop with a nice
publication, the information gathered is paramount to our role as a 360 degree grant maker. ”
Since the inception of the Program in 2012, the Community Foundations Community Leadership
Committee has granted $56,000 for Vital programming in Southeastern Alberta.
The Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta made its first grant in 1995 for ‘Flood Relief’ and
continues to be a leader in the community by developing permanent endowments, making responsible
grants and inspiring community leadership.
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