With these grants, we empower our non-profit partners to build a vibrant and healthy community and deliver programs and services that benefit all central Albertans.

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Over $165,000 in Financial Awards Given to Central Alberta Students

The Community Foundation of Central Alberta has made a significant impact in the lives of local students this year by awarding over $165,000 in financial awards, marking a record-breaking amount for the organization. This generous funding comes at a crucial time when rising education costs pose significant challenges for many families. By providing these scholarships, the Foundation helps to alleviate some of the financial burdens associated with pursuing higher education, allowing students to focus on their academic and career goals.

“We have seen remarkable dedication from donors who truly understand the long-term impact of educational access,” said Erin Peden, CFCAB Executive Director. “From powerful memorial scholarships that are creating beautiful legacies, to family scholarships that support students in specific communities, these financial awards ensure that more students can access education and create a brighter future for themselves and their communities.”

One of the key objectives of these financial awards is to increase accessibility to higher education. By removing barriers that often hinder students from achieving their dreams, the Community Foundation plays a vital role in fostering educational opportunities within the community.

Three new scholarships were added this year: The Shea Family Education Award, the Burman University Music Bursary, and the Red Deer Golf & Country Club Centennial Scholarship.

With the addition of these three awards, the Community Foundation now offers 13 different scholarships to support students in a wide variety of fields. While application criteria, eligibility, and requirements vary for different scholarships, all financial awards can be applied for through the Community Foundation’s online application portal.

For more information or to apply online, click here.

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First Round of Community Microgrants Awarded to Five Agencies

Through the Community Foundation’s new microgrants program, each of the following five agencies have received a $5,000 grant, for a total of $25,000 awarded.

Bashaw Youth Centre will use the grant to support their re-design efforts after shutting down during the pandemic. This funding will help the Bashaw Youth Centre to develop sustainability while navigating exponential uptake of their youth programming services and meet growing needs. Currently over 50% of the Bashaw School (Kindergarten-Grade 9) population are accessing Bashaw Youth Foundation programming.

Francophonie Canadienne Plurielle (FRAP) will use their microgrant to help support their Summer Camp Program to assist French-speaking youth in their integration to life in Alberta by providing an immersive English language experience. The camp offers many dynamic and educational activities, and youth are exposed to new and exciting experiences and are offered opportunities to connect, build friendships and have fun. With this funding, the camp will be open to all French-speaking newcomer youth.

Red Deer Food Bank intends to purchase a translation tool that will afford frontline staff greater ease in communicating with clients. This tool will reduce the communication barriers that currently exist between food bank volunteers, staff, and clients with different languages speaking origins. It will also improve communication with people that have cognition, hearing and sight impairments, offering more dignity and ease to clients.

Red Deer Native Friendship Society is planning to support the development of their community based social enterprise: The Friendship Shop. Designed to support RDNFS’ programs through partnerships with local small businesses, artists, and organizations, The Friendship Shop would help to increase access to flexible funding streams, which allows for inclusive access to services and supports.

Red Deer Public Library received a grant to support the creation of a new Cree language and lessons program. This free program will be developed alongside Indigenous community leaders to ensure the program is culturally and age-appropriate, and will include stories, songs, activities and play, with opportunities for families to build community and be introduced to Cree language and culture. RDPL also plans to increase the Cree language materials collection as part of their efforts to support Indigenous culture through the promotion, teaching and reading of Cree language.

The Community Foundation is proud to support these important new programs and projects here in Central Alberta.
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Mothers for Recovery Support Group made possible by grant from the Community Foundation

With funding from a $30,000 grant from the Red Deer and District Community Foundation (RDDCF), a new support group for mothers living with substance use disorder will begin this January, run by Family Services of Central Alberta (FSCA). This initiative seeks to provide mothers with the support they need to overcome addiction while also ensuring that childcare needs are met during programming.

Mothers for Recovery provides an opportunity for mothers who are seeking or maintaining recovery from substance use to receive non-judgmental support in a safe and confidential space. The program involves weekly meetings co-facilitated by a social worker and a mother in recovery herself, modeled after the idea that the best teachers for mothers with addiction are individuals who have recovered from addiction themselves. The program encourages mothers to share their experiences, strengths, and hopes in recovery while amongst peers with similar past and present experiences.

“Our adjudication committee recognized that mothers with substance use disorder face unique challenges, including stigma and shame,” said Erin Peden, RDDCF Executive Director. “The Mothers for Recovery program makes sense as an evidence-based early intervention strategy to support not only mothers, but also their children. Our hope is that this grant can facilitate the creation of a program that provides connection and resources for mothers who most need specialized peer support.”

To reduce barriers to attendance, young children can participate in the Mothers for Recovery Child Development program which is designed to provide a nurturing environment for children while their mothers attend the support group sessions. Children will be cared for in an adjoining space by qualified childcare providers and will engage in play-based developmental programming. As children with a parent who has substance use disorders (SUDs) are more likely to have lower socioeconomic status and increased difficulties in academic and social settings and family functioning, breaking this cycle is possible with early intervention programs such as Mothers for Recovery.

“This concept grew from the lack of addiction services available for women that they could bring their children to and that also dealt with the sensitive parenting issues that accompany substance use disorder,” said Judy Scott, FSCA Executive Director. “We want to make it as easy as possible for mothers to attend our meetings and get the support they need, without the barrier of finding reliable childcare.”

The program will be held at the FSCA Parkland Mall site and is free to all individuals who identify as a mother and who are seeking or maintaining recovery from substance use, with no agency referrals required. For more information on attending, call 403.309.8222.

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Fall 2023 Community Grants Support Five Agencies

The Red Deer & District Community Foundation (RDDCF) is pleased to announce that $70,000 will be distributed to five agencies through the Fall 2023 Community Grants program.

“In awarding grants, the adjudication committee chose to focus on agencies where funding would have the greatest impact on strengthening the quality of life in Central Alberta, which is our organization’s mission,” Erin Peden, Executive Director of RDDCF said.

The grants distributed this cycle will support organizations that work with a wide range of demographics, from children and youth all the way to individuals who are accessing end-of-life care.

“The strength of our Community Grants program is the ability to grant to any qualified donee, meaning we can choose to respond to the most pressing needs of agencies in Central Alberta,” said Peden.

“We are proud that this granting cycle will see the Community Foundation support new, emerging programs, as well as agencies that have a long record of outstanding support for families and individuals in our community,” Peden said.

Recipients of the fall grants are as follows:

  • Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre Toys for Play Therapy – $5,000.00
    • The CASASC Play Therapy Room focuses on supporting children who have experienced or are affected by sexual violence. Play therapy is generally used with children between the ages of 31/2 and 12, and provides a way for participants to express their experiences and feelings through a natural, self-guided, self-healing process. CASASC is the only agency in Central Alberta to provide child therapy at no cost.
  • Family Services of Central Alberta Mothers for Recovery Support Group – $30,000.00
    • Mothers for Recovery is a weekly support group that provides an opportunity for mothers who are seeking or maintaining recovery from substance use to receive non-judgmental support in a safe and confidential space. The program involves weekly meetings co-facilitated by a professional woman and mother in recovery herself. The co-facilitation supports the Mothers for Recovery belief that the best teachers for mothers with addiction are individuals who have recovered from addiction themselves.
  • Leftovers Foundation Rescue Food YQF – $10,000.00
    • Rescue Food Red Deer 2024 will build on the launch and pilot of the program in 2023, with a focus on increased food donor and volunteer outreach and engagement. Rescue Food works on a relational level to build local connections between small food retailers and neighbouring service agencies. The program’s volunteer redirection model minimizes the effort required by service agencies to access redirected food.
  • Olds & District Hospice Volunteer Driving & Support Program – $5,000.00
    • The Volunteer Driving & Support Program facilitates hospice volunteers driving patients
      for medical appointments and other needs, providing both logistical and emotional support.
  • YMCA of Northern Alberta – Northside Community Centre Keeping the Youth Centre Open for YOUth! – $20,000.00
    • The Youth Centre is open during the critical afterschool hours of 3-5:30pm, Monday-Friday, for ages 8-18. It is a place where youth can drop-in and relax, play games, read and connect with friends. Universal access for the YMCA Northside Youth Centre removes financial barriers to accessing social, emotional and physical activity opportunities for youth after school. Free youth centre access increases peer and mentor relationship development supporting positive youth development.

“We, as a Community Foundation, are focused on sustainability and impact,” Peden said. “Providing funding in the form of grants is just one way that we support organizations. We also facilitate collaboration, and we work with agencies to implement alternative funding options.”

In 2023, RDDCF granted over $125,00 to local charities through the Community Grants program.