United Way Greater Victoria and the Victoria Foundation are investing $1.6 million into local charities in an effort to help them adapt services for vulnerable citizens amid COVID-19.
The two organizations are allocating funds in the form of 60 different grants, being distributed to charities across the Capital Regional District (CRD), the Gulf Islands and the Cowichan Valley.
“Charities and non-profit organizations are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, acting as lifelines for many vulnerable Canadians. The Government of Canada is pleased to support these organizations through the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) so they can continue their invaluable work”. The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
With funding coming through the ECSF, United Way and Victoria Foundation put out a grant call on May 19, which resulted in 120 applications from local charities.
According to a joint press release, a collaborative community review panel was utilized in order to determine the feasibility and the level of need for each application.
“It’s a new world. Our focus is razor-sharp: to help our community get through COVID-19, as we recover and rebuild. One of our main goals is to support the not-for-profit sector as it pivots to meet changing community needs and service delivery models. The creativity and resiliency we observed through the grant submissions were inspiring. We are grateful for the federal government’s funding and we thank them for entrusting in us to get the job done,” said Mark Breslauer, CEO, United Way Greater Victoria.
Two examples of projects being supported by grant funding include:
- Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre Association – received support to safely re-open and deliver hearing health services including hearing aids to people whose social isolation has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis
- Victoria Native Friendship Centre – access technology to help transition to virtual programming for staff working with at-risk children and youth as well as funding to fill food hampers for vulnerable Indigenous elders and families.
Out of the 60 total grants that have been approved, 11 projects will be co-funded by both United Way and Victoria Foundation.
“Our staff all breathed a sigh of relief when they got the news…this has a huge impact on our bottom line. We could not do all that we do without support from funders such as United Way and Victoria Foundation, nor could we continue to provide the services we do to urban Indigenous families, Elders, the disabled and the disenfranchised,” said Ron Rice, Victoria Native Friendship Centre Executive Director and one of the charities receiving co-funding.
Some of the other grants being allocated include providing the tools for an opera performance to go virtual and bringing it to schools alongside curriculum aid; haircuts for women in order to feel more confident during job interviews by offering a subsidy to a salon; and an intergenerational support program that matches Indigenous youth with vulnerable elders and a free online literary festival.
“Civil Society and the programs and services they offer are absolutely critical to the wellbeing of our community,” said Victoria Foundation CEO Sandra Richardson. “The funding provided via these grants will help to mitigate the devastating impacts the pandemic has had on the sector and the vulnerable populations they serve. The Victoria Foundation is pleased to work with The Government of Canada and United Way to provide this crucial support, and we look forward to continuing to work towards ensuring our community comes out of this crisis stronger, healthier and more resilient.”
The Government of Canada announced the $350 million ECSF on April 21, which was allocated across the country in partnership with United Way, among other national organizations.
A full list of projects being funded through grants can be found at uwgv.ca/news/ecsf and victoriafoundation.bc.ca/ecsf.
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Graham Cox
