MOOSOMIN — The provincial government recently announced approval of 150 grants totalling $2.5 million through the Community Initiatives Fund. Around 90,000 participants will benefit from the grants in 58 communities across Saskatchewan.
The Moosomin Family Resource Centre received $30,000 from the CIF, which funds their services for the year.
One popular program the MFRC offers is an early childhood nutrition initiative called Creative Little Chefs.
“We will be each week offering a specific story book that has a crafting cooking activity to go along with it,” Leshchyshyn explained. “So children gets the opportunity to enjoy reading, crafting and cooking with their parents and caregivers.
“Another program that we have throughout the year is our Time for Baby program,” continued Leshchyshyn. “This will again help cover the cost of supplies and wages as well as nutritious food.”
Partners in Play is another program MFRC offers, focussed on play-based learning for children.
“The objective behind that is to strengthen the bonds between the parent and children,” Leshchyshyn said. “During that time, there’s crafts, storytelling and movement activities. And again, nutritious snacks. Everything involves food!”
Leshchyshyn also explained the twice a month ‘Poppin’ In with Pre-K’ program, which shows the strong partnership between MFRC and MacLeod Elementary School.
“It’s an opportunity for them to come and play at the centre as part of their play-based learning and it’s great because it takes them into a different environment outside of the classroom,” she said. “Again, nutritious snacks are provided and it’s a great opportunity for children to try some different snacks and food items that they may not be able to try at home.”
MFRC has been a recipient of the CIF grant for a number of years, something Leshchyshyn and the rest of the people who make activities at the centre happen are grateful for.
“With the needs within each community, to be able to offer free programming, nutritious snacks and meals—it really benefits the communities and our families,” she said. “And these young children and their developing minds and brains!”
Unlike other similar centres in larger communities, the MFRC doesn’t have ongoing funding and relies on grants like the CIF and community fundraising in order to continue offering services.
“There’s not a lot of family resource centres in the province,” Leshchyshyn said. “We’re constantly having to write grants to keep our doors open. Our provincial government is committed to early childhood, which we’re very fortunate and grateful for because if that wasn’t a targeted priority, there’s no guarantee that CIF would be available to us.”
A real winning combination is found in the partnerships the MFRC enjoys with other local groups devoted to children in Moosomin.
“We’re great to be in a community where partnerships are welcomed because we couldn’t do it without our community partners,” Leshchyshyn said. “Those partnerships are so vital.”
“By connecting individuals, families and communities with vital programming across the province, the Community Initiatives Fund enhances the quality of life for people in Saskatchewan,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Laura Ross said in a media release. “Our government is proud to support the Community Initiatives Fund. These grants strengthen important community programs, and we look forward to continuing this important relationship.”
A wide range of community projects are supported through the Community Grant Program for residents of all ages. Projects funded include supports to develop positive mental health, self-esteem and healthy lifestyle behaviours and ways to make sure families can access resources for healthy and caring environments.
“The programs and initiatives funded by CIF have a profound impact on the well-being of communities across Saskatchewan,” Community Initiatives Fund Executive Director Tracey Mann said in a media release. “We are continually amazed by the dedication and creativity of community leaders and organizations that work so tirelessly to enrich our province.”
The CIF is a Special Purpose Fund, made possible through the Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan Corporation Act. Managed through a government-appointed volunteer board, funds are dispersed across the province to groups that submit applications.
“The Community Initiatives Fund is our main grant funding partner,” said Crystal Leshchyshyn, MFRC board chair. “Their support allows us to basically keep our doors open and to offer a variety of programming.”
Surrounding communities also benefit
The beauty of the CIF grant is that it helps communities of various sizes—not relegated to ‘just the cities.’ The projects funded also vary, but the common thread is the positive impact on the towns overall.
In Carlyle, the Â鶹´«Ã½AVeast Regional Library received $15,000 for its Winter Wellness program. While the program itself is more youth-oriented, librarian Naomi Twietmeyer says all residents are quite engaged with the place.
“We’re trying really hard because we see a need and what else is a library for than to be a community hub?” she said.
Part of the programming includes a series of quilts being constructed featuring the Teachings of the Seven Grandfathers, with some of the funding dollars going toward the purchase of sewing machines for this and future projects.
“We have someone coming in to teach not only the sewing but also the embroidery part of that,” Twietmeyer explained. “So we’re teaching them how to use their hands, be creative and take something from their minds and transform it into a tangible object.”
There’s another popular program the library is hoping to recreate the success from last year.
“We’re going to try to get some elders in to teach and tell stories. Last year, for Indigenous Story month, we had 64 in for that program, so our library was packed,” Twietmeyer said. “And they were mostly kids from the ages six to 11. I think we had 52 kids and then the rest were a few adults, too.”
With programs like the popular Paint Hour and regular gatherings for Dungeons & Dragons, the library has become a vital centre for all ages. There are also plans to form a Big Brothers Big Sisters group “because this is where kids feel safe,” as Twietmeyer noted.
“I feel like we’re running in a million different directions at once, but people seem to be responding in a big way, which is really nice to see,” she said of all the diverse activity at the library.
Over in Oxbow, three groups will benefit from the CIF as the Expressway Family Centre will gain $25,000 in funding for community programs; the Friendship Club will see $6,000 for wellness activities and recreation; and the Prairie Horizons School will receive $4,000 for their nutrition program.
“We’re hoping to do yoga again and we’ll have dances four or five times a year, “explained Marty James of the Oxbow Friendship Club. “It pays for the instructor for yoga, and it pays for our orchestras for dances.”
At the school, the nutrition program ensures students start their day with a full belly and an enthusiastic greeting.
“Every student that walks into the building is greeted with a ‘good morning’ and then they have a variety of food and drinks to choose from,” said middle years teacher Ali Ball, noting the program has been moved from the lunch room to the front foyer of the building. The program has also expanded from three days per week to every school day. “We want these kids to know, they matter because they do!”
There’s an emphasis on healthy food, and Ball says some of the older students have begun coming to the morning breakfast program early to pitch in.
“It’s quite a social activity,” said Ball of the program.
The Town of Kipling received $7,086 for community wholeness initiatives, enabling the community to continue already popular programs.
“We’re excited to be able to run programs again,” said Leisure Services Manager Austin Vargo. Chair Yoga, the famous Artrageous Program and Fit Kids will all benefit from the funding dollars.
The after-school program in Wapella also received a nice boost, gaining $6,000 from the CIF. For three days a week during the winter months starting Jan. 8, local youth will have a great place to hang out for a couple of hours in the afternoons.
“We have an air hockey table up there and we’ve got a bunch of board games and books for the kids to read and take home to read if they need that and we’ve got basketballs set up there,” said Wapella’s recreation director Heather Statz.
Last year, the after-school program saw an average of 20 students attend—decent numbers for a school population totalling 57.
Grenfell’s Keeping Kids Active program received $5,000 in funding, which will go a long way for the 20-week Kid’s Club.
“We’re also starting a kid’s yoga plan for over the winter and we’re going to have individual groups for eight weeks each,” explained Director of Recreation, Culture and Promotion Jordon Guy with the Town of Grenfell. “It totally funds both programs so that it’s completely free to the public.”
The Town of Arcola also received $5,260 for their winter wellness program, and the Yorkton Nursery School were the recipient of $1,300 in funding for its co-operative preschool program.
