Another seven Delta charities, supporting populations more vulnerable than normal, during the the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, have received $76,370 in funding from the Delta Foundation through the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF), launched in early October.
This round 2 of funding follows the original Round launched in the spring when Delta Foundation granted $181,860 to eight Delta charities for vulnerable populations.
Delta Foundation is one of 171 community foundations across the country, in the 191-member Community Foundations of Canada network, participating in the ECSF program. It has provided this emergency support of charities throughout Delta with funding from the Government of Canada.
In round 2 of the ECSF campaign, 12 charities applied to Delta Foundation for support from the ECSF for various worthy causes. The following charities serving Delta were allocated funding.
Tsawwassen Order of Old Bastards: $17,000 for its support of Deltassist’s Christmas Hampers program to brighten Christmas for 600 or more low income families. The 32-year program normally relies on food drives through schools and volunteers to collect, organize and deliver boxes of food to the families, all not possible because of the pandemic. This year the program has needed cash to provide food gift cards instead.
South Delta Baptist Church: $15,000 for its Starfish Pack South Delta program, providing backpacks with food for children of low income families to take home every weekend to ensure they and their families receive healthy nutrition to learn and play.
KinVillage: $10,000 for improving facilities for protecting resident seniors and elders and their visitors from COVID-19 transmission in a safe and comfortable environment, allowing more contact with family and friends, as well as each other, to overcome the isolation and loneliness suffered over many months.
Pony Pals Therapeutic Riding Association: $5,370 for its Equine Facilitated Mental Health Program, to help children with special mental and physical health and ability challenges by riding horses to bring a sense of wellbeing, especially during the pandemic.
ElderCollege Delta Society: $7,000 to provide seniors and elders with educational, stimulating and social opportunities through virtual learning with online courses, instead of those normally in person, relieving the long period of isolation and loneliness during the pandemic.
Delta Community Living Society: $6,000 for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for essential service staff in meeting the significant increase in demand for serving the needs of special needs adults, during the pandemic.
Boys and Girls Clubs of South Coast BC: $16,000 for meeting the demand in Delta for children and youth needing after school and day programs delivered in new ways after shutdown of physical facilities and group programs because of the pandemic.
“Charities and non-profit organizations continue to lead our community in assisting those who need it most in the fight against COVID-19,” says Delta Foundation President Peter Roaf. “The demand for funding has far exceeded the available funding allocated to Delta, based on population, through Community Foundations of Canada from funds provided by the Government of Canada for this community emergency relief. That is one indicator of the need in our community and in communities all across Canada. In this Round 2 of the Emergency Community Support Fund, and in Round 1, which ended in early summer, we were glad we could support a total of 15 charities. We wish we could have supported more with their important causes.”
Delta Foundation has been Delta's only community foundation since 1986. As the “charity for charities,” it provides an opportunity for donors to become community builders by helping them develop and achieve their philanthropic goals by matching their interests and concerns with community needs and opportunities. Then we find innovative and responsible ways to give their investments lasting impact for the long term.
