Gaming grants announced for local groups
By Boundary Sentinel
Grand Forks area non-profits got word last week that their applications for gaming grants have been approved. Sunshine Valley Childcare Society (SVCS) and the Boundary Women’s Resource Centre (BWRC) are just two of the local organizations who received much needed operational support. For Sunshine Valley the funding is used for staffing and it can be the difference between breaking even and going under said Fatima Faria, executive director for the society. “This is fabulous because without it, it would be very difficult to provide quality care,” said Faria. “Even with our fees at the level they are, they are as low as they can go. So this is very pleasant news.” The Province of B.C. announced community gaming grant funding totalling $122,200 to support 12 human and social service community organizations in Boundary-Similkameen last week. This funding is part of a $33 million payment of community gaming grants to thousands of non-profit organizations across British Columbia. In the Grand Forks area alone there will be $79,000 provided to five different organizations – SVCS ($18400), BWRC ($32000), Boundary Community Hospice Association ($5000), Whispers of Hope ($20000), and Boundary Weed Management ($3600). “The groups receiving these grants provide important services for their communities. This funding will help them continue their great work,” said Boundary-Similkameen MLA John Slater. The transition funding is in addition to any other gaming grant funding the organizations will receive in 2011/12. As well, daycares will receive $2 million from previously unallocated funding to bring their grants this year up to approximately the levels they received in previous years. The province will distribute these extra funds to these groups in the first week of March.
For more information about community gaming grants, please visit: www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/gaming/grants/
