THE SurreyCares Community Foundation and the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) have provided a total of $107,010 in grants to several charities serving Langley and Langley Township in the second round of the ECSF grant funding program.
The distribution of the Emergency Community Support Fund is achieved through a national partnership with Community Foundations of Canada, United Way Centraide Canada, and the Canadian Red Cross.
Vulnerable populations continue to be disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Marginalized groups, youth, children and the elderly, essential workers, and newcomers are just some of the communities that are facing increased challenges currently.
Through SurreyCares and ECSF, grants are supporting the following organizations and programs in Langley:
Coast Salish Arts and Cultural Society has received $19,100 to support its Coast Salish Arts and Cultural Society Virtual Programs. This program aims to expand the communicational reach of all indigenous people living within Coast Salish territories to assemble and impart their knowledge via mentoring, and by sharing cultural teachings and protocols through virtual programs on social media platforms.
Langley Pos-abilities Society has received $42,250 for the COVID-19 Rescue Project. This funding helps them to reorganize and reinstate their organization’s operational structure to achieve their objective of providing support to people with disabilities while adhering to the Social Distancing and COVID regulations. This funding additionally helps them to enhance and expand the organization’s outreach, especially during these trying times.
Encompass Support has received $25,190 for the Reducing Barriers for Mental Health Support for Children During COVID project. This funding would help in expanding their counselling services during the pandemic. Through this program, vulnerable individuals going through mental stress due to increased isolation, confronting illness, and facing difficulties in coping with changes brought on by COVID will receive appropriate counselling, and children will have faster access to therapy.
Options Community Services has received $14,470 for the Township of Langley Outreach for Vulnerable Migrant Workers Project. This program aims to support vulnerable temporary foreign workers as they manage the impacts of COVID-19. This program provides flu vaccinations for immigrant workers as well as mental health support; it also disseminates information and knowledge of rights, responsibilities as well as primary health/mental health/workplace safety resources. Part of the program involves recruiting and training volunteers to engage with migrant workers by supporting migrant workers to build skills and empower them to gain confidence and know their rights and responsibilities.
Inclusion Langley Society has received $6,000 for the Safe Services and Supports program. This program helps in ensuring that the Inclusion Langley Society has access to the required PPE to safeguard its personnel’s wellbeing. As the Inclusion Langley Society has a direct approach to serving people with disabilities, there is a need to reorganize their operational procedures to guarantee the maintenance of Social Distancing regulations, thus ensuring the safety and security of everyone involved.
These grants were made possible through the Government of Canada’s $350 million Emergency Community Support Fund. The ECSF saw over $900,000 allocated to SurreyCares in its first round and over $575,000 in the second round.
The Emergency Community Support Fund is being delivered through a national partnership with Community Foundations of Canada, United Way Centraide Canada, and the Canadian Red Cross.
