OVER $116,000 IN COMMUNITY GRANTS APPROVED FOR SUMMER PROJECTS IN REGINA

Eighteen human service organizations in Regina received cheques totalling $116,591 through the Community Initiatives Fund, which supports projects that benefit children, youth and families.

These grants are part of the 157 recently approved projects in communities across the province that will receive a total of more than $566,000 in funding this summer. A total of $2.2 million in Community Initiatives Fund grants will be distributed this year.

"Supporting these important projects contributes greatly to the quality of life for many Regina residents," Regina Coronation Park MLA Kim Trew said on behalf of Culture, Youth and Recreation Minister Glenn Hagel. "The projects receiving funding today are excellent examples of what we can accomplish when schools, health regions, community-based organizations and government come together to work with communities."

Some examples of funded summer projects include:

• $25,000 to the YMCA of Regina to provide positive evening activities for inner city youth;
• $10,000 to the Autism Resource Centre to provide services to people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families;
• $5,000 to the Regina Community Children's Program Inc. to provide a recreation, sport, culture and mentoring project for inner city youth; and
• $5,000 to the SCEP (Socialization, Communication, Education Program) Centre Society to provide remedial programming for young children with communication and behavioural problems and their parents.

Community-based decision making is an important part of the Community Initiatives Fund. Grant decisions are made by an arms-length board of trustees based on advice from regional committees. These committees include representatives from agencies and community organizations involved in human service delivery at the regional level. This approach helps ensure provincial funds are responsive to community priorities.

The Community Initiatives Fund provides grants for local initiatives that enhance human development and community vitality. The Community Initiatives Fund was established to provide tangible benefits from Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation profits for Saskatchewan communities. Since 1996, over $61 million dollars has been distributed to community programs across Saskatchewan.

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For More Information, Contact:

Richard Fink Culture, Youth and Recreation Regina Phone: (306) 787-5781 Email: rfink@cyr.gov.sk.ca