Spring 2025 Microgrants Total $25,000
The Community Foundation’s Spring 2025 Microgrants will see six agencies funded for a total of $25,000 in funding. The programs receiving grants will support children, food security, newcomers to Canada, environmental education, arts & culture, and bringing awareness to Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The grant recipients are:
Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories intends to use the $2,500 to purchase a ClickShare and two presentation clickers. These pieces of technology will allow facilitators to share information more easily and effectively with caregivers, people living with dementia, health care providers, and community members. This grant ensures that presentations are empowering and engaging to families looking for strategies to support their loved ones within the Central Alberta region.
Blackfalds Food Bank Society has been awarded $5,000 for much-needed commercial coolers. This equipment will ensure the safe storage and distribution of perishable food items. The coolers will help to extend the shelf life of fresh food donations, accept larger quantities of perishable items, and offer a greater variety of nutritious food choices to those facing food insecurity. And, the addition of these coolers will allow the Blackfalds Food Bank to adapt to the growing demand for food assistance by increasing our storage capacity, reducing food waste, and building a more resilient food support network within the Blackfalds area.
Red Deer Community Band Society plans to use the $5,000 for bussing expenses for band members to attend parades in Central Alberta, as expenses for transportation continue to rise each year. Parades serve as a vital tool for recruitment and advertising for the Royals. They promote culture and heritage while engaging with the community.
Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada will receive $2,500 to place a Starlight Handheld unit at Red Deer Regional Hospital. A Starlight Handheld is a portable gaming device that encourages play, reduces stress, and empowers kids. Portable and accessible in all areas of the hospital, these devices provide normalcy and much-needed distraction for pediatric patients to help cope with their fears and ease interactions with hospital staff.
WCS Canada intends to use the $5,000 for their Alberta Community Bat Program, Alberta’s largest and most successful bat conservation program. This funding will support the Central Alberta region, with expanded public outreach programming and on-the-ground actions to support the recovery of Alberta’s Endangered bat species. These efforts include the purchase of two ultrasonic automated recording units (bat detectors), capable of being deployed for extended periods to monitor bat populations.
The Waskasoo Environmental Education Society (The Society) has been awarded $5,000 for a specific program under the Nature for New Canadians umbrella: a summer camping trip for youth that are new to Canada. The Society, along with Care for Newcomers, will plan and execute a 4-day 3-night camping trip in Central Alberta for 24 high schoolers. This experience is particularly beneficial to youth as they gain the benefits of immersion in nature, but they also get an opportunity to develop improved self-confidence, self-esteem, emotional regulation, resourcefulness, and risk-management skills.
