The board for Innisfail's Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) has awarded $75,000 of provincial grant money to seven social agencies and community groups.
From that total amount, the board granted $12,500 to the new Innisfail chapter of the Boys and Girls Club of Olds, which absorbed the Side Door drop-in youth program and will begin operations this year at the former Parkland Community Church on 49 Avenue.
FCSS manager Tammy Oliver-McCurdie, who made a presentation to town council on Jan. 13 on her agency's community and social agency funding for 2014, said the new quarters will also house the summer program for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Innisfail as well as the FCSS Youth Art Program and community kitchen program for youth. She said there would be an open house at the 4,507-square-foot facility at the end of the month.
The $75,000 in external grant money for community groups came from the $172,994 the town received from the province for FCSS funding for 2014. The FCSS board has the authority to administer and approve all expenditures for the FCSS external grant budget approved by town council.
Oliver-McCurdie told council the FCSS board reviewed presentations for the 2014 FCSS external grants last Nov. 19. She said there were a total of eight presentations. The total monetary ask by the eight organizations was $131,812, said Oliver-McCurdie.
The board made its final decisions on Dec. 4 on the organizations that would be awarded the external grants.
Oliver-McCurdie said the board was faced with difficult decisions.
ìWe only has $75,000 to give,î said Oliver-McCurdie, adding the amount divided was the same as last year. ìNot everybody got what they asked for. As well, not everybody received who had applied. It was really tough to decide where those funds should go.î
Chinook's Edge School Division's Family School Wellness program received $20,000 ñ the highest amount awarded. It was slightly down from last year when the program received $20,875.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Innisfail received $19,450 for its In School Mentoring/Teen Mentoring program. That is down from the $32,875 the agency received in 2013.
The Innisfail Family Centre received $9,200 for 2014, which is the same as last year.
The Seniors Drop-in Centre was awarded $7,450 for 2014. That is an increase over last year when the organization got $5,000.
The Youth Mentoring Program of Restorative Justice, which did not receive a grant last year, receives $4,600 for 2014. The board also granted Naturally Nutured, a new self care group program, $1,800 for 2014.
