Thanks to a federal government grant, seniors in Skead will be able to go surfing – at least the online variety.
On Thursday, Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré announced $9,835 has been awarded to a Skead-based website that will help seniors stay active and involved in their community. Serré made the announcement on behalf of Seniors Minister Filomena Tassi.
The grant is through the New Horizons for Seniors Program, a fund that aims to foster social inclusion and engagement of seniors by encouraging them to share their knowledge, skills and experience to stay active and engaged.
“Social interaction amongst seniors continues to be identified as a repeated need often unfulfilled because of poor communication channels and easy access to information about senior-specific services and programs,” Ron Kunto, Skead Seniors Club president, is quoted as saying in a news release. “With the generous funding from the federal government, our new website will go a long way to addressing that need.”
The website project will focus on promoting the benefits of membership, recruiting new volunteers and engaging current members to sustain and broaden the community-based programs and services offered through the Skead Seniors, the release said.
“The website will serve as the communication centrepiece highlighting our community outreach, volunteer activities, workshops and special events.”
“Our communities are better when our seniors are engaged and involved,” Serré is quoted as saying. “Funding projects like the seniors interactive website help promote inclusivity and allow for seniors to keep up with the on goings of the Seniors Club and fight social isolation.
“As the Canadian population continues to age we must continue to deliver community-based initiatives like this one that make a difference in improving the lives of our seniors.”
“Seniors are the pillars of our communities,” Tassi is quoted as saying. “By supporting community-based projects like these, we are taking action to ensure that seniors have a strong presence in communities across Canada and that they receive the recognition, respect and admiration they deserve.”
Quick Facts
- Every year organizations are invited to apply for New Horizons for Seniors Program community-based funding through a call for proposals. The project funding announced Thursday was approved as part of a call for proposals that launched on May 7, 2018, and closed on June 22, 2018.
- Community-based projects are eligible to receive up to $25,000 in grant funding and, as of this year, up to $5,000 in new small grants funding for organizations that have not received funding within the last five years.
- A total of $35 million has been approved across Canada for community-based projects under the program in 2018–2019.
- Community-based project funding supports activities that engage seniors and address one or more of the program's five objectives: volunteering, mentoring, expanding awareness of elder abuse, social participation and capital assistance.
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