DIDSBURY - Town council has approved Family and Community Support Service (FCSS) funding for 11 community groups and organizations totalling $64,000.
The move came by way of motion at the Feb. 13 council meeting, held in person and online.
The community service board reviewed applications and funding requests totalling $105,003. The program’s total 2024 grant budget was $64,000.
Groups and organizations receiving funding, with quotes from applications, include the following:
• Bethany Care Foundation ($3,500) for intergenerational programs critical to health, resiliency and connections, with focus on volunteer development and group skills.
• Boys & Girls Club of Olds & Area - After school program ($4,650) for program supplies, volunteer training and advertising, opportunity to partner and run programs collectively with FCSS to offer additional support.
• Chinook’s Edge School Division - Youth empowerment ($8,925) for services for programming to increase coping, knowledge and skills of children and youth to support them to make better choices and adopt behaviours to self-protect their physical and mental health at as early an age as possible.
• Didsbury Preschool Society ($11,534) for programming that works to understand and meet the developmental needs of each child socially, physically and intellectually.
• DOSCA - Before and After School Care ( $17,497) for operational costs of the care program, allowing safe care of children when parents are at work, while encouraging friendships and connection to larger community.
• Mountain View Emergency Shelter outreach programs and services ($9,000) with funding to provide safe shelter to victims and support, services, and education for victims of family violence.
“Thanks to all those on the committed for did such great work on this,” said mayor Rhonda Hunter. “The funding will be very well spent.”
Community groups will meeting with council next month
In other news from the Feb. 13 council meeting, council has decided to meet with community groups on March 4 to discuss possible further funding requirements.
“Throughout 2023, council heard from a number of community groups who expressed concern about inflation and the increased costs over the past two years of running their programs and events,” chief administrative officer Ethan Gorner said in a briefing note to council.
“In response and in consideration of the 2024 budget, council referred the community groups to the committee of the whole,”
Groups and organizations expected to take part in the closed-door meeting include the Didsbury & District Historical Society and the Didsbury Curling Club.
Information gathered at the meeting will be forwarded to 2024 budget deliberations.
